#he and Graham have been together for years upon years... death experiences have helped them both realize “what am i waiting for?”

[wolfylch]

Answer the question, Benjamin.

[opera-ghosts]

Tempest, Marie (1864–1942) English actress who was hugely popular in both musical comedy and comic plays. Born Mary Susan Etherington on July 15, 1864, in London, England; died on October 14, 1942; educated at Midhurst and at a convent in Belgium; studied singing at the Royal Academy of Music, London; married Alfred E. Izard (divorced); married Cosmo Gordon-Lennox (an actor and playwright), in 1898 (died 1921); married William Graham Browne (an actor-director), in 1921 (died 1937); no children. Made London debut as Fiametta in Boccaccio (Comedy Theater, May 1885); appeared as Lady Blanche in The Fay o' Fire (Opéra Comique, 1885), in the title role in Erminie (Comedy Theater, 1885); took over the title role in Dorothy (Prince of Wales Theater, 1887); appeared as Kitty in The Red Hussar (Lyric Theater, 1889); made New York debut in the same role (Palmer's Theater, August 1889); toured U.S. and Canada with the J.C. Duff Opera Co. (1890–91); appeared as Adam in The Tyrolean (CasinoTheater, New York, 1891), O Mimosa San in The Geisha (Daly's Theater, London, 1896), in the title role in San Toy (Daly's Theater, 1899), as Nell Gwynn in English Nell (Prince of Wales Theater, 1900), in the title role in Peg Woffington (Prince of Wales Theater, 1901), as Becky Sharp in Vanity Fair (Prince of Wales Theater, 1901), as Kitty Silverton in The Marriage of Kitty (London and New York, 1903); toured America, Australia, and elsewhere (1914–22); appeared as Annabelle Leigh in Good Gracious, Annabelle (Duke of York's Theater, 1923), as Judith Bliss in Hay Fever (1925), as Angela Fane in The Cat's Cradle (Criterion Theater, 1926), in the title role in The First Mrs. Fraser (Haymarket Theater, 1929), as Fanny Cavendish in Theater Royal (Lyric Theater, 1934), as Georgia Leigh in Short Story (Queen's Theater, 1935), as Dora Randolph in Dear Octopus (Queen's Theater, 1938).The celebrated English actress Marie Tempest first graced the stage as a singer in operas and musical comedies before taking up serious acting, at which she was also immensely successful, at age 36. Tempest's phenomenal popularity lay not so much in her creative genius, but in her unique ability to bring much of her own personality and temperament to the characters she portrayed. "She seems to radiate the joy of living," wrote a reviewer for the London Times upon seeing her performance in The Cat's Cradle in April 1926, "to drive it home to us by her mere presence, by the inspiring notes of her voice, and by the depth of worldly experience and indulgence for our human foibles in her glance. Briefly she is a perpetual refreshment and source of pleasure; something for which the theater exists and by which it triumphantly justifies its existence."

Born in London in 1864, Tempest was educated at Midhurst and at a convent in Belgium until age 16, when she took up the study of music, first in Paris and then at London's Royal Academy of Music. While still a student, she made her singing debut at St. James's Hall, and from that time on was hooked on performing. Taking her stage name from her godmother, Lady Susan Vane-Tempest , she began her career singing in the provinces, and made her London debut in May 1885, in the role of Fiametta in the comic opera Boccaccio. Critics unanimously praised her voice but were somewhat divided on the subject of her acting.

In February 1887, after leading roles in The Fay o' Fire, Erminie, and La Béarnaise, Tempest took over the title role in Dorothy from Marion Hood . She played the role for two years, then won great acclaim as Kitty Carroll in The Red Hussar. Tempest made her American debut in that same role, opening at New York's Palmer Theater on August 5, 1889, to the delight of the critics. "It was a success and from the last notes of the song, Marie Tempest was received into the affections of New York theatergoers," wrote one. "After that the opera seemed to be a secondary consideration and the other players were but foils. Tempest only could fill the stage." The actress then toured the United States and Canada with the J.C. Duff Opera Company, taking roles in several well-known operas, including Arline in The Bohemian Girl, the title role in Mignon, and Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance. In October 1891, she returned to New York, where she was in constant demand for the next three years.

Back in London in 1895, Tempest began a five-year engagement at Daly's Theater, then under the management of George Edwardes. Now considered the queen of musical comedy, she was treated like royalty by Edwardes who insisted that she use the royal entrance rather than the stage door, and saw to it that a carriage waited

for her each evening after the show. Tempest also became the first actress to have her clothes designed by couturiers rather than theatrical designers. In 1898, she met and married actor and playwright Cosmo Gordon-Lennox, who also treated her like royalty, indulging her passion for shopping and redecorating. He introduced her to the world of literature and other intellectual pursuits. (Gordon-Lennox was Tempest's second husband; during her Royal Academy days, she had married and divorced Alfred Izard.)

In 1899, Tempest had a falling out with Edwardes over some long trousers he wanted her to wear for the title role in San Toy. She considered them tasteless and cut them into shorts before her first entrance, infuriating Edwardes and destroying their professional relationship. Not only did Tempest walk away from Daly's over the incident, but she turned her back on musical comedy as well. In August 1900, she entered the second phase of her career, opening as Nell Gwynn in English Nell, a play directed by Dion Boucicault, who also helped Tempest make the transition to straight plays. (She was serious about learning her craft, frequently spending an entire morning rehearsing simple stage business, like answering a phone or pouring a cup of tea.) Boucicault also directed Tempest in the title role in Peg Woffington , and as Becky Sharp in an adaptation of Vanity Fair (both 1901). In 1902, also under Boucicault's direction, she played Kitty Silverton in The Marriage of Kitty, which her husband had adapted from the French. The play, a huge success, marked the beginning of Tempest's eight-year relationship with producer Charles Frohman and remained in her repertoire for the next 30 years.

While Tempest was perfecting her acting technique and gaining a new reputation as a talented comedian, her marriage to Gordon-Lennox collapsed. In 1908, she met William Graham Browne, an aristocrat and actor six years her junior; their relationship is described by Eric Johns as the first deep friendship of her life. Their professional and personal association lasted 29 years, until Browne's death in 1937, although they did not marry until after Gordon-Lennox's death in 1921. Browne directed many of Tempest's productions, and encouraged her to further improve her acting. He also served as troubleshooter. "She was far from easy to work with," writes Johns, "and part of Willie's mission in life was to pour oil over troubled waters and keep the troupe together and in a reasonably happy frame of mind."

In September 1913, Tempest began a stint as manager of the Playhouse Theater in London, where she opened in the title role in Mary Goes First. With the outbreak of war in Europe, however, she soon went into debt. To keep afloat, she and Browne set off on a world tour which began in Toronto in October 1914, and over the course of the next eight years took them to New York, Chicago, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, the Straits Settlements, China, Japan, the Philippines, and through the United States. Tempest returned to London's Duke of York's Theater in 1923, playing the role of Annabelle Leigh in Good Gracious, Annabelle, which had been warmly received on tour. The London audience, however, hated the play and hissed and booed their disapproval. "How long I stood there, leaning against the wings I do not know," she told her biographer Hector Bolitho. "Dimly I remember clapping my hands over my ears, trying to shut out that cruel noise. Able to bear it no longer, I rushed to my dressing room and closed the door behind me … after thirty-seven years as a trouper I had been booed for the first time and in London." Tempest also said that something in her died that night and that afterwards she never felt quite the same about her "dear public." To improve her frame of mind, she revived The Marriage of Kitty, and ran nearly a year in it.

It was not until her role as Judith Bliss in Noel Coward's Hay Fever (1925), a role written with her in mind, that Tempest had her next unqualified hit. "The most delightful thing of the evening was to see Miss Marie Tempest coming into her own again with a part which gave every scope for her really distinguished sense of comedy and her admirable technique," wrote the critic for Punch. She "moved the house to a storm of spontaneous applause by the exquisite singing of a little chanson d'amour, and it was in perfect voice—not a note strained or even thin." Hay Fever ran for 337 performances and was followed by The Cat's Cradle (1926), another solid hit for the actress.

Tempest continued to perform throughout the 1930s, celebrating her jubilee on May 28, 1935, with a special benefit performance at the Drury Lane Theater. She was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire (DBE) in 1937, which was also the year she lost Willie, a shattering blow from which she never fully recovered. Her last appearance on the London stage was as Dora Randolph in Dodie Smith 's Dear Octopus, a successful venture that ran for 373 performances. Glen Byam Shaw, who directed the 67-year-old actress in the play, was awed by her genius for stage business, particularly in a scene in which she was listening to her daughter's problems while setting the table for dinner. "As she listened she made table napkins into the shape of water lilies, but fitted each deft movement to the text, thus pointing the daughter's lines in the most apposite manner. It won a round of applause every night."

Tempest was rehearsing for another role, under the direction of Henry Kendall, when it became clear that she was unable to learn her lines and had to be let go. She took the news bravely, although her eyes were filled with tears as she awaited the taxi to take her home. She died within six weeks, on October 14, 1942. Noel Coward had once paid fitting tribute to Tempest: "When she steps on to a stage a certain magic occurs, and this magic is in itself unexplainable and belongs only to the very great."

[ashes-in-a-jar]

Tma relisten Episodes 11-15

So this round already has two other posts out of it about Oliver because he Bae.

These have alot of ideas regarding entities changing around reality, controlling non victims to set the stage, and turning around what people love most to their worst fear. Also insane abilities of the crew to obtain hard to access info and evidence! And some more Jon sass. Enjoy!

11 dreamer

Wow this episode had alot. I made a separate post with a theory about Oliver's statement here and a realization regarding him and Jane Prentiss here. They are alot to unpack

Oliver is so. Freaking. Relatable! Learned economics and hated it. Nearly had a breakdown like him because of it. "going to stay with some of the few friends that had survived my year of stress-fuelled outbursts and constantly cancelled plans." yep. That.

Boyfriend Graham ey? You notebook eating Graham?? Wow that guy is full of surprises.

I love the dream sequences and their descriptions it's a really beautiful thing to try and picture.

Its interesting how he went from passive to desparate to passive again about death. He tries but can't help. I wonder when the dreams started to bother him so much he sought after the silence of point Nemo. Was it when they became so full of red because of the apocalypse coming closer? Hmmm

Another person named John. I guess that makes sense it's a common name. But I forgot how many people are fully named in this podcast. Hundreds of names to come up with! Jonny I'm quite impressed!

He worked with Jane Prentiss in the magic shop! I can't believe I forgot about that! Wow small avatar world indeed.

"It led me to a room, the label of which was still visible, and read “Archive”. I entered to see walls covered with shelves and cabinets stretching off into the distance. These shelves were coated in a sticky black tar, which I knew at that moment was the thickened, pulpy blood that pumped through each and every one of those veins." everything that has to do with the Fears I bet. Full of death and destruction and stolen from the veins to be out on display for the Eye's pleasure.

Yo Jon is scared of this he's seriously considering going to Elias for advice

" I had Tim look into it, as I don’t entirely trust the others not to have written it as a practical joke" wait. He trusts TIM? Not to do a practical joke? How. Why. Eh?

"died in the line of duty" fuck you Jonah.

Now Jon will get every new statement immediately when it's made. Perhaps this was Elias' intention all along. To scare him into making sure he does not miss any paranormal activity recorded by the institute.

12 first aid

I'm not immune to more Gerry badassery, hell yeah

And we get polish Martin which hell yeah! Even if Jon doesn't believe it. I'm sure he's repressing the fact that he's thoroughly impressed.

I think it's really interesting the effect entities have on people who are decidedly not their victims. Everyone leaving no questions so the entity can set the scene for the scare. Like with Gillespie how no one lived in the apartment building he was in etc. Alot of work into a handful of people being genuinely scared.

Gerry's burns stopped at the neck? How did he manage that. Also it's hilarious to imagine that he's like "yes burn all of me but please. not my goth makeup"

Zippo lighter with eye design!! And Jon has web design! They are brothers (joke but still really interesting)

Liquids were boiling around her and she didn't feel the heat. Also an interesting effect just for the scare.

Gerry got eye superpowers like Jon if he can function while injure and filled with painkillers.

“Yes. For you, better beholding than the lightless flame.” Gerry knew she'd be haunted by a Fear from that day on and realised that perhaps being watched would be easier for her specifically to deal with than the Desolation. I guess that's a way of assessing people. Which fear would least bother you.

Jon is already enamoured with Gerry you can tell. He can't wait to hear more from him. Just you wait Jon.

They really can access alot of information huh. CCTV Interviews files. Pretty impressive for a non-research team. They're so good at it they'd rather do that than actual archiving.

13 alone

The sound editing in this episode is not that great it was a bit to get used to.

We get a glimpse at the Lukases which is... Ugh

Jon is actually trying to be nice. Granted it's not working and she is a bit of a standoffish person herself who just went through a bad time but alot of her reactions are not his fault. He was trying to be considerate giving her space to record but he did stay when she asked.

She had already leaned into the Lonely before the incident it's interesting to see how some of these statements start with a person actually liking the aspect that later turns to fear. Same happens in lost johns' cave.

Evan Lukas sounds like an avatar of the exact opposite of the Lonely. At least to her. That's a really interesting effect from someone, especially a Lukas.

But maybe dying wasn't his family killing him but him not feeding his patron which he tried to leave. Really tragic.

She was in Martin's domain eyyy!

It's got a bit of buried aspects to it with the grave stuff and all.

"My fingers dug into the soft cemetery dirt as I looked around desperately for anything I could use to save myself, and my hand closed upon that heavy piece of headstone. It took all my self-control to keep a grip on that anchor, as I slowly dragged myself away from the edge of my lonely grave." The headstone was her anchor? But it said forgotten. I wonder how it helped her pull away. It probably had to go together with Evan's voice. Like the rib and the tape recorders having to work together! I just wonder what meaning the stone had for her.

"I’d be tempted to chalk this one up to a hallucination from stress and trauma, if it wasn’t for the fact... " God he does believe her heavens. He's not a skeptic!

This is when Jon's dreams start which... Good luck Jon.

14 piecemeal

Rentoul is terrifying sonofabitch and I would never want to meet him irl

I remembered them talking about how he was supposed to be a person who cursed alot and they couldn't do it because of sensor and I have to agree this could have been much better for the story. I tried imagining curses in some places.

LOL Jon reading this is funny. Trying to voice act the bad boy. Doesn't sound right on his voice.

With these kinds of statements happening alot where the person does something bad, the institute has to be in touch with police over them. The nda has to include that.

Hello Angela! I really wonder what her deal is. She scared the bid bully so she gotta have creepy vibes to the extreme.

Another lighter! Hmm do I have to start following the lighter motiff in this podcast. This one has a topless woman on it. Flesh lighter?

Salesa's also appearing that's cool! Noriega was probably looking for an artifact to reverse the curse. Didn't work tho since they left with the crate. The buried crate perhaps?

I'm wondering. Was this written? Because the statement sounds like he's talking. If so, Where's the recording?

Oh Jon your attitude towards Martin is so bad. He works so hard and it's not even in what he's good at, sorting and filing like he knows how to do from the library. God.

What's the deal with all the furniture gone? Did he think it'll help not get injured? He's not that smart if he thought that would help him.

15 lost Johns' cave

Ack a bad statement she was not a good person all around

Another example of the entities setting the stage by controlling others not to interfere with the victim's experience.

Also another example of the person liking the subject (cave exploration in this case. And the dark for that matter) only for it to turn against them.

Not much to say about this one other than its one of the scarier ones for sure. And her recording in the end is really the cherry on top. There is alot of discrepancy between what she believed happened and what actually did which shows how much the fear plays with and changes around reality. That's also how she manages to lie in a statement to Beholding. It wasn't a lie. It was her version of reality and she did not remember saying those awful words.

Taught me alot about cave diving and how much I will never do it in my life.

The Dark was mixed into this as well so it wasn't purely Buried.

Btw Where did she get the candles she was found with?

It feels like she made a choice. Didn't want to spend her last moments with her sister and then didn't want to die. She chose her sister to be taken over her. Her sister called for help and the candle coming closer might have been her! But she just shut her eyes.

How did Tim gain access to the recording?? Wow that's some prime evidence.

Martin is claustrophobic amongst other things huh? Live how Jon just dismisses this as an excuse not to work. At least he didn't push it.

[teamhook]

CSSNS20 :|: The Wolf and The Savior

Hello, everyone! Well, I want to apologize for not posting on time. I was diagnosed with Pneumonia and Covid19 so I had to take my time to get better. I was on lock down for six weeks. I’m truly sorry I missed my deadline but here I am now. Thank you for your patience.

I want to thank the Mods @cssns , my lovely Artist @allons-y-to-hogwarts-713 , my Beta @ultraluckycatnd

~I truly love the fandom...

AO3

FFN

 Summary: Loosely inspired by an episode of Lost Girl...

 When danger looms over Emma Swan, Killian Jones offers to give up a major part of himself in exchange for her safety, but the Norn has different ideas for their deal and he may have to relinquish more than he’d planned. What is the Norn scheming, and what consequences will Killian face for the decisions he makes?

The Wolf and the Savior

 Once upon a time, the realms lived in harmony. The peace came to an abrupt end once the Darkness found a vessel. That Darkness spread corrupting Fae and humans alike like a plague. Some ran to different realms, but in the end, there was no place to hide. The Darkness consumed them all, and only one realm remained. In order to control the shared evil foe, they became the Light and the Dark to keep a balance. Every Fae had to choose a faction. Families were torn apart by the choice. Each region had an assigned ruler. Peace was never meant to last. Multiple Kingdoms fell as the Darkness sparked a long war that led to many deaths on all sides.  

Unbeknownst to the Jones brothers, their King was a selfish coward with an unquenchable thirst for power. 

Killian Jones, alongside his older brother Liam, served the corrupt King Robert Fitzroy who was a recent widower. His wife had fallen ill during her pregnancy, and both she and the child died during childbirth. The King had been looking for a new Queen but none had captured his interest until he met Captain Liam Jones's vibrant wife, Belle.

The Jones brothers were sent on a mission to obtain a weapon that would help them win the war that was currently waging. The King took that time to endear himself to the lovely woman. He was smitten quickly by how well-read she was, and she surprised him by also turning out to be an amazing strategist. 

The mission failed and turned out to be a death sentence for the elder Jones. They had been ambushed and Liam had suffered a deadly wound made by silver nitrate as it spread throughout his body. In an attempt to save his brother’s life, Killian Jones went to go see the Norn. 

The Norn’s deal was simple. She wanted what Killian held dearest: his wolf. The ability to transform into a wolf was the best part of himself. To be able to run wild was an exceptional experience. The choice was simple. Killian’s wolf in exchange for his brother’s life. Killian was unable to go through with it. His wolf was a vital part of his identity. Without his wolf, who was he? 

Unfortunately, Liam wasn’t lucky and died. Not long after his death, the King’s betrayal was revealed. Without a second thought, Killian Jones turned against the crown. He would no longer serve a wicked King. His beloved brother was gone, and with him, the yearning for being a man of honor died too. For centuries he lived a life full of debauchery and revenge against the King and his new bride. His guilt over the selfishness of keeping his wolf haunted him long after he had avenged his brother. With the King dead, his new Queen had taken the throne. She was a righteous ruler and had tried to reach out to Killian to explain that she had only agreed to marry the King in exchange for his and Liam’s safety, not knowing it was a trick. 

After a long time after the Great War had passed, there was a truce between the Fae and the humans. They worked together to stop their common enemy, the Dark. They had to ensure the scale was never tipped in the Dark’s favor because allowing it to consume too much could lead to another war.

After decades of tranquility, an evil witch wanted the crown. 

On an evening he was brooding over a bottle of rum, he was approached by a man hidden by his cloak. “Killian Jones?”

“Aye, what of it?”

“I have a proposition for you,” the man answered with a smile. 

The newly crowned Fae Queen had married a lowly human and soon they were to become parents. Sadly the very existence of the witch threatened the safety of the unborn Princess. It was decided that she would be hidden with the humans. A trusted friend would take her upon birth to keep her safe since it was foretold she would be the Savior of the Light and the end of the Darkness. On the day of the birth of the beloved princess, the witch cast a spell to stop time and take their memories, then she would have all the power. In order to save their newborn daughter, who was prophesied to save them all, they sent her through a magical portal to safety. 

Emma Swan grew up loved and adored by her adoptive mother Sarah. The years passed by and the woman became afraid of losing her daughter; Sarah refused to tell Emma the truth of her parentage. She was supposed to prepare her for the future but instead decided to keep Emma as her daughter. 

Young Emma sensed that Sarah was keeping her in the dark for a selfish reason, and in her frustrated state, she took off on her own. If Emma were being honest with herself, she had always felt like something was missing. She wasn’t running away, she was running towards something.

At barely seventeen years, she found herself out on the streets. She gained employment in a small dive diner. The glimmering green-eyed golden-haired beauty captivated everyone she met. 

She was befriended by a man about five years her senior. In a moment of vulnerability, Emma allowed herself to be comforted by the man. She felt so alone. He decided that friendship was not all that he wanted from her and attempted to take by force what was not offered freely. 

Although she was afraid, Emma was not willing to be taken advantage of without a fight. In an effort to survive as the man groped and touched her as if she was his to do with whatever he wanted, she felt a surge of power as a white light submerged the room and the man collapsed to the floor.

Emma Swan ran once again afraid~~ she was a runaway ~ lost girl ~ waitress ~ a murderer. 

Days before her twenty-eighth birthday, Emma Swan stumbled on to a small unheard of town. Storybrooke, Maine. She never heard of it but somehow she felt a pull to it. 

All her life she had run in search of something that was missing; she didn't know that the truth was that she was seeking for her family. Their motto being, I will always find you.

She meets and bonds with the town school teacher and the town’s dog catcher from the local animal shelter. The brave Deputy becomes a fast friend as well. The Sheriff is a stickler for the rules and that was more difficult to break through. 

It doesn’t take long for the curse to be broken. Emma Swan falls in love with Deputy Jones. A true love’s kiss reveals the truth. Soon, other enemies make their way to the town. 

The teacher, Mary Margaret, is her mother, and the animal control officer is her father, David Nolan. 

The dashing Deputy is Killian Jones, ex-Navy Captain, and former scoundrel, and he is the man her heart chose. 

As a family, they had quickly overcome so much to be together, and now the final battle was fast approaching.

The problem was the Savior was still weak from the previous battle.

They had survived a curse cast by an Evil Queen, a vengeful Dragon, a crazed former ally, and time travel.

Emma had found her family after being a lost girl. She had found true love too in an unlikely place, a redeemed villain. Some days it was surreal she was the daughter of a Queen. No, the Rioga. There were no more monarchs.  

As a last resort to save the woman he loves, Killian goes to the Norn for help. He offers a deal, his wolf in exchange for her to transfer his strength to Emma, but instead, she takes his love passion - the love for his mate - as payment.

 At the last battle, Emma feels a sudden rush of power that has her overwhelming her foe, the Black Fairy. 

The Fairy shrieks as the light magic consumes her and she is absorbed by it. 

After the dust settles, Emma is embraced by her parents and she looks around trying to find her anchor, her love, but he was nowhere in sight. Where was he? 

Killian leaves the Norn, shifts into a wolf, and runs. His animal takes over as he whimpers for the loss of his love passion. His black fur coat shined as he galloped across the forest. His blue eyes were a dark storm. He found a spot overlooking the ocean and howled. Right now, Killian didn’t know what could have been worse, losing his wolf or the love for his mate. How could he ever face her? 

The Norn laughed as she put away the vial that held Killian’s love passion. She found the wolf fascinating, and he was beautiful. Part of her wished it was hers. His love. Technically it was hers now. She smiled wickedly. 

Killian decides to visit an old friend. He needs to make sense of his life. 

He knows he is being a coward, but how is he going to face Emma? Look into her eyes knowing that his heart won’t speed up at her touch. That he will feel nothing. If he is lucky, he will still hold a fondness for her, but nothing romantic. No spark. 

Killian called Graham to let him know he was taking some time off. In reality, he hopes he can figure something out before coming face to face with Emma. 

Graham agrees hesitantly after urging him to talk to Emma but he cannot deny him; he has all the time accrued. 

Emma has been looking for Killian, calling him non stop. Voicemail has become her new enemy. She knows it’s because of him she is still alive, the surge of strength that went through her when she defeated the fairy was proof of that.  

She freezes as she is going through his room looking for clues. He had told her about a Fae he had visited years ago in hopes to save his brother. Maybe he went back but this time it was to save her. 

Emma runs out of his place and goes to ask her parents if they know of this Fae.

Once Emma reaches her parents’ home, she bursts in. “Mom, Dad!!” she yells for them.

“Emma, what’s going on?” Her father reaches her first.

“I think Killian went to go see that Fae, the one that does deals? I think he traded his wolf for me. To save me.”

“Wait, Emma calm down.”

She was walking back and forth. “Dad, I can’t find him anywhere and during my fight with the fairy I felt a rush of strength and I was able to beat her. Dad, it was something I hadn’t felt before. It was raw and powerful.” 

Her father tilts his head and smiles, “He does adore you. I’m afraid your mother might know. I don’t know all the kinds of Fae that exist. Let me go get her. Just stay here, and sweetie, please calm down.” 

Emma continues pacing the room. 

Her father comes back with her mother in tow. “Emma, sweetie, your dad says you can’t find Killian? I didn’t know he was missing.”

“Mom, it’s a feeling I have. I think he is in trouble. I haven’t seen him since before the battle with the Black Fairy. He was supposed to meet me there but never showed. I was telling Dad that during my final battle with her, I felt a surge of energy and it felt like him. I don’t know how to explain it.”

“Your father mentioned you had questions about a Fae that grants deals...”

Emma sits down and her foot keeps tapping the floor rhythmically. Her parents follow suit and sit across from her. “Killian told me once that he could have saved his brother but that he was a coward. He couldn’t go through with it.” Emma sighs, “He felt guilty for so long, and that was the reason he went after the King.”

“And you think he did this for you?” her mother asks.

Emma sniffles, “I was afraid I wasn’t going to make it, for a moment. I thought the Black Fairy was going to win, but then I felt his presence. I felt his love and strength around me, and then I was able to destroy her.”

“Okay, I know there’s a Fae called Norn. She trades for favors. Emma, if Killian went to her, I don’t know what to say. She tricks and takes what’s dearest to you. Sometimes the price outweighs the benefit.”

“Where can I find this Norn?” Emma stood up, determined. 

“Emma, she’s not someone you can deal with. She is a dark Fae.”

“How could Killian go to her then?”

“The rules are simple, dark Fae deal with each other only in the case a light Fae wants to talk to or has a problem with a dark Fae. There’s a protocol that needs to be followed. Killian is a deputy, he deals with both dark and light Fae to do his job.”

“Mom, why can’t I? I’m the stupid Savior. I don’t understand.”

“Emma, we need balance. If the balance is lost, we end up fighting battles with Black Fairies because of that imbalance.”

Emma yells, “Then what’s the point of being the Savior if I can’t help the man I love?” Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears. 

Her father is the one that tries to soothe her, “Emma, Killian is a survivor and he will be fine. He might need time alone. Just wait until you hear from him. He wouldn’t want you to react before you know what exactly you’re up against.”

What her parents had failed to tell her was that since she was half-human, the Norn wouldn’t see her. 

Emma leaves her parents’ home in a huff and decides on a new tactic. Ruby is a wolf too, so she is going to have her confirm Killian’s presence at the Norn’s. 

With a smile on her face, Emma enters Granny’s Diner. Ruby smiles back at her, but the closer Emma gets to her, the more Ruby's smile shrinks. 

“Hey, Ems. The usual?” Ruby busies herself getting a cup ready.

“Rubes, I need a favor and you cannot tell anyone.”

Ruby sighs, “I don’t know how to feel about this. What favor?” 

“I need you to take me to the Norn.”

“Emma, the Norn is not someone you can just see.” 

“Why not?” Emma rolls her eyes.

“Look, she is one of the oldest Faes and she is not a fan of humans. Not only that but she's a dark Fae. Whatever the issue is, she is not the answer.”

“I think Killian went to see her. I haven’t seen him since the battle with the Black Fairy. Ruby, his phone is off. Killian told me that, a long time ago, he went to make a deal with her. He was going to give his wolf to her in exchange for Liam’s life. At the last minute he changed his mind and Liam died. Killian has hated himself for that decision.”

“Emma, trading your wolf is not something one can do lightly. Our wolf is part of us. Imagine if someone took your hand.” Ruby made a pained face. “If he did that, he will never be the same. Emma, he will not be able to run free. His wolf will be gone. He is going to need time,” Ruby whispered. 

Emma’s eyes water, “Is he going to hate me?”

“Killian could never hate you. He loves you. You two share True Love.” 

“I just know something is wrong,” Emma said as she stared her friend down.

“Okay, I’ll take you, but you’re going to have to let me take the lead,” Ruby hissed.

 “Fine. I’ll be on my best behavior. When can we do this?”

“She lives in the woods, just passing the toll bridge. We can go early tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? Ruby, can’t we go today? Killian has been missing for almost a week.” 

“Fine, but if anyone asks, we are just going to have some drinks. We are lucky Granny is out with Marco ’cause if she heard any of this conversation she would have my hide.” Ruby shutters. 

“Drinks to take my mind off my missing boyfriend.” 

“I’ll meet you at your place right after my shift ends.” Ruby nods at her friend. 

Emma and Ruby arrive at the toll bridge. “We need to walk the rest of the way,” Ruby says.

Emma simply nods.

“Ems, the Norn likes to trick, and she loves deals. Just let me talk.”

“Okay. Ruby—” Emma hesitates.

“What is it?”

“You're a wolf, right?”

“Yes…” Ruby rolls her eyes.

“Uhm, do you know Killian’s scent?”

Ruby stops and turns to her friend. “I’m familiar but not in the same way you are familiar with it.” Ruby waggles her eyebrows.

“I mean, you say the Norn likes to trick. Could you tell if Killian was there? I mean could you smell if he was there?” Emma takes a baggie from her back pocket. 

Ruby thinks about it, “Yeah, I should be able to. His scent might be a little faded, but I should be able to make it out.”

Emma smiles, “So you won’t need this?” She pulls out a black scarf from the baggie. 

Ruby grabs the scarf and smells it. Her eyes turn to her friend. “I know you are worried about him, but Killian is a survivor. He knows what he is doing. I can’t say I agree with his decision, but I understand why he would sacrifice half of his being for you. Emma, that man adores you and if something happened to you, it would destroy him.” 

The trek is faster than they thought it would be. 

They reach a big tree trunk. Emma looks around and turns to Ruby, “I thought you said you knew where she lived!” 

Ruby shushes her and knocks on the tree trunk. The trunk transforms into a door and creaks open.  

They enter hesitantly. 

An older woman appears out of thin air. Emma curses, I should be used to this by now.

The woman glares at her, “Human, how dare you enter the Norn’s home?”

Ruby clears her throat. “She’s here with me.” 

The Norn’s attention turns to Ruby and studies her. “Anita’s daughter, granddaughter of Granny Lucas. One dark, one light. What sacrifice do you have for me?”

Ruby’s eyes turn golden at the mention of her mother. 

Emma speaks, “She only has some questions for you.”

The Norn hisses at her.

Emma stands her ground. “Look, lady, we only have a few questions for you.”

“I don’t answer questions to humans, but I’m willing to excuse your behavior in exchange for a single hair.” She was human but there was strong magic around her too and yes, a hint of familiar energy. 

“You can have a single hair if you answer my friend’s questions.” Emma ignored Ruby’s growl. 

“I sense these questions aren’t hers to ask, you are the one who needs them answered. One question.” The Norn held out her hand. 

Emma plucked a hair out and handed it to her. 

The Norn examined the hair and put it in a small vial, “I’m waiting.”

Ruby is looking around trying to catch a scent but there’s nothing

Emma looks at Ruby for confirmation. The other shakes her head. “I want to know if—” she sighs as her eyes drift back to Ruby.

The Norn snarls, “Sorry, no cheating, you and your pretty friend forfeit the deal.”  

Ruby and Emma are thrown out. They land on their asses. 

“Shit,” Emma mutters.

Ruby groans, “Ow, that bitch just reeks darkness but no Jones scent. I’m sorry, Ems.”

“Could she mask the scent somehow?”

“I suppose if she wanted to keep her clientele secret.” 

“I know he was here,” Emma states. “When you love someone you just know.”

“So what now?” Ruby asks. 

“Now I track myself a wolf,” Emma says.

~~~

@hookedonapirate @kmomof4 @searchingwardrobes @seriouslyhooked @profdanglaisstuff @let-it-raines @revanmeetra87 @snowbellewells @hollyethecurious @branlovestowrite @thejollyroger-writer @shireness-says @ilovemesomekillianjones @thisonesatellite @thesschesthair @winterbythesea @stahlop @resident-of-storybrooke @superchocovian @lfh1226-linda @thislassishooked @shardminds @winterbaby89 @xhookswenchx @ultraluckycatnd @gingerchangeling @wellhellotragic @xemmaloveskillianx @courtorderedcake @pirateherokillian @optomisticgirl @darkcolinodonorgasm @sherlockianwhovian @andiirivera @djlbg​ @nikkiemms @jennjenn615 @scientificapricot @officerrogers @imlaxdris71 @therealstartraveller776 @kday426 @kymbersmith-90​ @artistic-writer​ @laschatzi​ @lassluna​

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

The OTHER Members of Eve’s Coven

Me and @lilmissrantsypants couldn’t fit all the coven in as cameos in chapter 3, so here’s a rundown on the members who didn’t make an appearance. I added some of the stuff that inspired us into making the characters, My wife just went crazy with descriptions for her characters.

Aleister & Tantomile Deering: A pair of twins who were orphaned during WWII. They had to scrape by to survive, with Tantomile whoring herself out for drug money. They were turned when Aleister begged for help as his sister was overdosing. They were plagued by psychic visions as mortals, their powers awakening fully when they were turned. They are practically inseperable nowadays.

Power: Aleister and Tantomile have innate psychic abilities, activated by touching someone. Tantomile can see into a person’s past, while Aleister can see multiple outcomes the future could hold and then latch on to the most likely scenario. Their vampiric power is a twin link that allows them to experience the emotions the other one does, as well as keep them connected.

Inspiration: The psychic cat twins Tantomile and Coripocat from Cats 

My wife came up with the basic concept and we workshopped them together from there; it’s a joint effort. She does Tantomile, I do Aleister.

Bartholomew Comstock: An overly aggressive puritan who was despised by his fellow townsfolk, he was banished from his New England home and forced to start a farm on his own. He nearly perished in the winter before Eve turned him. His hatred at being a disgusting, demonic creature such as a vampire is only ameliorated by his knowledge that Eve, having once been the angel Samael, ‘confirms’ his beliefs and allows him to eternally punish those he views as sinners.

Power: He believes his power gives him great strength against sinners, allowing him to inflict pain upon those who have done foul deeds. In truth, it is actually his own sins that give him strength, though his power does weaken as he exerts himself or runs low on blood (he cannot become unstoppably powerful).

Inspiration: The dad from The VVitch

Beatrix Cullen: Beatrix Cullen was a happy woman once, a skilled seamstress in the 1950s who simply loved the act of creation. She had an adoring boyfriend, and the two were set to be married, with Beatrix making a gorgeous wedding dress for her special day. But on that day, her groom never arrived, as he had been killed in a car accident on the way. Stricken by grief, Beatrix was easily convinced by Eve to join her coven, with the promise that perhaps her power could help her bring her husband back some day...

Power: Beatrix can imbue any object such as a sculpture or statue with life, essentially making golems without a magic scroll. Her most trusted golem is her mannequin, Manny, who often tries to steal her wedding dress. Her ultimate goal is to use her natural skills and her power to bring her husband back to life, stitching a Frankenstein monster of him and pieces of sleazy men who hit on her into a perfect flesh golem.

Inspirations: The bride from the Haunted Mansion, Kill Bill, Frankenstein, that one Tumblr post about 50s housewives fighting zombies with chainsaws, La Pascualita, Pegasus from Yu-Gi-Oh

Blanche Atterton: Daughter of Lady Drusilla Atterton, she grew up wanting nothing more than her mother’s love, though her mother was often far too preoccupied with “other things” (which she later learned was all of her plotting and planning to ensure her riches).When given the choice for vampirism, she excitedly vowed her loyalty to her mother and Eve. As she was only 15 at the time and children would not survive the turning, her mother waited until she turned 21 before turning her.Blanche does everything for her mother’s attention and love. She doesn’t hesitate to do her bidding in hopes of her mother praising her for it. She’s misguided, not evil, though her mother’s praise has given her a superiority complex and she’s a bit of a narcissist.

Power:  Blanche’s power gives her a powerful, painful scream. Those within 5 feet of her screaming will suffer from temporary deafness for 5 minutes. Whether they fall deaf or not, bleeding from the ears is very common, especially among mortals.

Inspiration: Drizella from Cinerella

Dee Comporre: Giorgio Nero’s faithful, somewhat obsessed bodyguard. She quite obviously has a crush on him due to her hatred of any woman who so much as interacts with Giorgio, though Giorgio just sees her as being a bit overprotective. She has a shaved head, and paints her face to look like a skull.

Power: She can secrete and spit a powerful corrosive acid that can melt through even metal.

Inspirations: D’Compose from InHumanoids

Dorian Ferris: A serial killer known as “The Ferryman,” who always leaves coins over his victim’s eyes. As a mortal, he had far too many close calls, and was nearly caught several times, particularly during a bout in a town back in 1999. He tends to target wicked people such as domestic abusers, rapists, crooked cops, and so on, sending them down the River Styx ahead of time to make the world a better place. He willingly joined the coven to escape punishment. More than anything, he just wishes to live a quiet, peaceful life.

Power: Has luck manipulation, which can allow him to do everything from dodge attacks by near misses or turn his surroundings into a Final Destination movie for opponents. He tends to activate a particular mode based on the whims of a coin toss. 

Inspirations: Jinx from Teen Titans, Final Destinatiin, Two-Face, Yoshikage Kira

Elizabeth Bathory:   The Blood Countess herself. After evading death in the 1600s thanks to Eve, she became a loyal follower of the demon, and was recruited into the Order of the 1800s. Dracula and Rasputin managed to defeat her and supposedly kill her, but Bathory is notoriously hard to slay. True to her infamous reputation, she tends to “Feed” by bathing in the blood of her victims. 

Power:Bathing in blood gives her an insane power boost; the longer she soaks, the stronger she gets. She can also absorb blood through her skin, though she can’t absorb the blood of supernatural beings this way.

Elvis Rey: Growing up near the border, Elvis always wanted to be like his hero, Elvis PResley. He obsessively watched the man’s performances and learned his every move. When the man died, he vowed he was going to become the greatest Elvis impersonator that ever lived. The 80s weren’t too kind to him, and drinking, gambling, and overeating left him looking like chubby later-years Elvis. With debt collectors crawling down his neck, he turned to Eve, and became a powerful vampire.

Power: He is capable of replicating any non-supernatural ability he sees. For example, if he watched a martial arts movie, he would be able to pull off those moves. Think the comic book character Taskmaster. 

Inspirations: Elvis (Presley), Elvis (God Hand)

Giorgio Nero: Giorgio Nero was a member of Cosa Nostra who attempted to retire from this life due to his wife and child. However, his past would eventually catch up with him, and his child was nearly killed, which lead to Giorgio accepting an offer he had once rejected, but now couldn’t refuse: vampirism and joining with Eve’s coven. Despite everything, he is an honorable man who dearly loved his wife and adores and accepts his child.

Power: You know Magneto? Like from X-Men? Imagine that but instead of a Holocaust survivor it’s an Italian guy. Boom.

Inspirations: Magneto, Risotto Nero from Vento Aureo, Metlar from InHumanoids

James Wilson: James was born in 1812 as a slave. When he was 8, he was gifted to the man one of his master’s daughters married, along with 13 other slaves. As his former master’s name was Wilson, he took that as his surname. He worked as a stablehand until he became a farmer at age 12. After a rather brutal beating when he accidentally dropped a bag of freshly picked potatoes at age 25, James encountered Eve. She promised to help free him. She turned him into a vampire (1837). He lived on the run until the Emancipation Proclamation was issued and went into full effect in 1863. James used to speak in thick, Gullah speech, but over time, it has lessened as he acquired modern language.

Power: James’s power gives him the ability to summon and play with water. He can use it however he wishes: to drown someone, to create a small unnatural pool to swim in, or to cool someone off with a quick sprinkle. This comes from his silent love for water, though he wasn’t ever allowed to swim or play in it.

Inspiration: Splash Mountain

Juno Nero: The child of Giorgio Nero. They tend to wear long black coats, masks, and facial bandages to hide their face and body due to extreme anxiety. They are mute as well, and communicate via sign language. They are nonbinary.

Power: They can stretch their body like rubber (think Elastigirl, Rubber Band Man, Plastic Man, you get the idea).

Inspiration: Tendril from InHumanoids

Lady Drusilla Atterton: Born in 1852 in England as Drusilla Graham to a middle-class family. She grew up idolizing the wealthy and decided she would do whatever it took to become wealthy herself.Met Josiah Kipling, a 28 year old man, when she was 22. He fell madly in love with her. She was overjoyed as he was quite wealthy. They married in 1874 and had two daughters together (Katharine [1875] and Blanche [1877]). However, after 8 years of marriage (1882), Drusilla (now age 30) fell out of love with him and secretly laced his food with rat poison, ultimately killing him. As they had personal chefs, it was deemed to be the fault of the chef, who was arrested and charged with the crime. As his widow, she inherited a share of his wealth.Over the next 10 years (1882-1892), Drusilla married 8 other wealthy men from all over the country, all who mysteriously died less than a year later in what were deemed to be unfortunate accidents.

Donald Thompson, married in 1883, died in a carriage accident.

Maurice Parker, married in 1884, died of a laudanum overdose.

Timothy Edwards, married in 1886, died by drowning

Christopher Watson, married in 1887, died by falling out of a second story window

Nathaniel Harris, married in 1888, died of apparent suicide

Bernard Carter, married in 1890, died of a hunting accident

Percy Clarke, married in 1891, died after being attacked by a burglar

Timothy Atterton, married in 1892, died in bed (cause unknown)

She met Eve in 1892 shortly after marrying Timothy Atterton. Eve had heard of her reputation as the Cursed Widow (but knew full well her husbands’ deaths were her doing). As Eve was extremely weakened, Amon turned her. With Eve’s assistance, she killed her final husband by scaring him to death by introducing him to Eve. Drusilla vowed her loyalty.With the knowledge of how to turn another from Eve (as Amon refused to tell her how), Drusilla offered the gift of vampirism to each of her daughters. Katharine ( refused and cut herself off from her mother, instead choosing to live a full and honest life. Blanche, on the other hand, being so keen to be accepted and loved by her mother vowed her own loyalty to both her mother and Eve. When she turned 21, Drusilla turned her as well (as she was informed that youth would not survive the turning).

Power: Her  power allows her to paralyze her target with a simple cold stare for a full 5 minutes.

Inspiration: Lady Tremaine from Cinderella

Lord Gordon Ruthven: A rich, aristocratic vampire who enjoyed luring in and preying on young women. He was part of the Order of the 19th century. He is currently a severed head, as his body was destroyed by the Silverwings.

Power: Can exude a charm aura that makes women more susceptible to his commands and desires, though it only works on women capable of being attracted to him (it would not work on lesbains, for instance).

Mabel Lockhart: A sickly young girl whose father made a deal with Eve to keep her from dying. Her dad is currently missing, and she is unsure if he’s even alive.

Power: She has the ability to absorb energy, such as steam energy, electrical energy, etc and gain boosts and power depending on what type she absorbs. For example, absorbing electrical energy would allow her to to shoot lightning. She can also absorb a person’s energy, but at most she can make them very lethargic and gets little else from absorbing that sort of energy.

Inspiration: Loosely based on the Pokemon Magearna

Maddox Hinton: Maddox was born in 1863 in a small town in England. He doesn’t talk much about his past, but he does boast about how he and his father were valued hypnotists in their small town. He was his father’s apprentice, learning how the art of hypnotism worked, though he wasn’t quite as successful as his father. This was what Eve used to convince him to turn to vampirism. It occurred when he was 25 and preparing to take over the family business.His power helped him convince his customers that they were actually under the effects of hypnotism. His father simply believed that taking over the business helped him tap into his true potential. 

He continued this way until Eve demanded his help. He lied to his dad, telling him he was going to travel abroad and spread their business, causing his father to take over the business once again.Maddox served Eve for a few years before she told him she didn’t need his help anymore. It was likely this that irritated him so much that he eventually became loyal to Amon while under the very convincing facade he’s loyal to Eve.

The rest of his past is unknown. All he will often tell people is he traveled all over the world, performing great feats under fake names as “world-renown hypnotists”. Maddox is a wild card. He does things for the fun of it or for his own pleasure, often without any sympathy towards others.

Power: Maddox’s power allows him to take control of another (similarly to Gabby’s). However, he can take control of up to two people at once. Instead of physically puppeteering them, he simply suggests they do something and they do it.

Inspiration: Vex from Lost Girl

Margaret Derwin: Margaret was born in New York City in 1902. She grew up with a love for music, particularly singing. She had dreams of becoming a famous singer.When she was 18, she pursued these dreams. She got a job as a dancer at a speakeasy with hopes of, eventually, being able to become one of their singers in time. It was there that she met Elizabeth, one of the other dancers. They secretly fell in love (which answered Margaret’s confusion about why she wasn’t interested in men). Eventually, they decided to run away to California together. They made plans and prepared for this, but on the day it was to happen, Elizabeth never showed up. Margaret later discovered she had changed her mind and, instead, was going to marry a man she’d met at the speakeasy.Eve found Margaret heartbroken and wandering the streets looking for a new job after quitting at the speakeasy (as it was too difficult to continue working there when Elizabeth was still there). Eve easily wooed her to her side. Though, as Margaret had good intentions, Amon had eventually been able to convince her to assist him instead as he wanted to ensure Eve would stop preying on innocent people like herself.

Power:  Margaret’s power involves her voice. Through singing, she can influence one’s emotions depending on her intentions (anger them, seduce them, calm them down, soothe them to sleep).

Nora: Nora’s memories are very faded. She knows she was born to a very poor family in Ireland. She knows she was sold as an indentured servant at age 13 in exchange for her tickets to America, board, and food. She knows she worked for that American family for 7 years. She knows she caught influenza and was promptly fired by the family for fear she’d infect them all. She knows she was near death, wandering the streets alone, when a massive black snake promised to save her. At the time, Nora believed it was just an illusion. She found out the next day, however, that it was not. She’d been saved by the gift of vampirism.Nora lived a long, long time as a homeless woman. She watched as America grew into a country of its own. She preyed on any she could find in order to survive. Eventually, she took residence in an abandoned house on a street. Over time, rumors spread that a ghost lived in the house on Blackwell Street. Her appearance and her power did much to add to this as well, as did the occasional mysterious deaths of those who wandered into the house hoping to catch a glimpse of the ghost.

Power: Nora’s power allows her to become visible or invisible on command. She can only switch from one to the other every 10 minutes. She often uses this to frighten mortals and uphold her identity as the Ghost of Blackwell Street.

Tony Sugar:  Tony Sugar is the owner, spokesman, and iconic figure of the Lost Paradise Candy Company. With the help of Amon, he became one of the first successful Black candy makers in America. He’s very flamboyant, campy, and charismatic—essentially a black Willy Wonka. He is pansexual because, in his own words, “everyone deserves a little Sugar.” He is also an avid beekeeper.

Power:  He has the power to “mellify” corpses, filling them with a honey-like substance and turning them into zombies.

Inspirations: Tony Todd’s Candyman, Ruby Rhod, the song “Sweet Bod,” the myth of the mellified man

Walter Sherman: Formerly a college professor and devoted family man from the dawn of the 20th century, Walter was a good man known for always thinking forward and being able to accept new changes in the world. However, when a freak accident claimed the life of his wife and child, he couldn’t handle it and attempted suicide before being saved by Amon. He’s mostly in the coven out of loyalty to Amon.

Power: He has the power of adaptability, allowing him to easily adapt to any situation. For example, using lightning against him would make him adapt lightning resistance.

Inspirations: The Carousel of Progress

Wayne Nicol: A formerly friendly clown who was forced to witness unspeakable horrors during WWII. He survived the horrors, but was left fundamentally disturbed by the nightmare he had lived through. He joined the coven hoping to find some sort of safety, but as it turned out, Eve had other plans.

Power: Has the power to control and manipulate a person’s fears to weaponize against them.

Inspirations: Scarecrow (Batman), Pennywise, Freddy Krueger, The Day the Clown Cried

[lilacmoon83]

Clarity

Also on Fanfiction.net and A03

Chapter 19: Miner Complications, Pt 2

Neal smiled and waved to Henry, who was making sure he was watching him play the vendor's game.

"Your argument with your fiancé didn't seem to go well at all," Gold observed.

"That's an understatement," Neal deadpanned and then sighed.

"She's pissed...because I told her that I'm moving here and not going back to New York," he said.

"You and Henry belong here," he agreed.

"Maybe Papa...but it's not that easy to explain to her. Maybe I should tell her...everything," he said.

"Do you think that is wise? Not even Emma wants to believe it all and the truth is staring her in the face," he warned. Neal sighed.

"Yeah...there's no way she'd buy any of this," he agreed.

"Do you love her?" Gold asked bluntly.

"Of course I love her," he answered, a little too quickly.

"And if she makes you choose between Henry and going back to New York?" Gold asked.

"Papa...you know I'm going to choose Henry," he said sternly.

"Good...because I once chose something over you and it was the worst mistake of my very long life. I regretted it the moment I did it," Gold assured him.

"Yeah, yeah...I'm still trying to be mad at you, you know," he refuted. Gold smirked.

"And you have every reason to still be mad at me," he agreed.

"Stop being agreeable," Neal complained.

"Then you better make it clear to Tamara that you're not going back to New York. At least it can be a clean break then," Gold said.

"Hold on...I love her and I don't want to break up with her. Who says I can't convince her to stay?" Neal asked. Gold nodded curtly.

"Then you have your work cut out for you...but be careful telling her too much until you're sure she's on board with what it would mean for her to move to this world," he advised. Gold knew that, most likely, this was the beginning of the end for his relationship with Tamara. He didn't want his son to be hurt, but it was obvious to him, as well as to Snow for that matter, that he was still carrying a very bright torch for Emma. Tamara was out of place and didn't belong. She could never accept any of this, at best. And at worst, his instincts about her told him that she already knew more than she was letting on and meant nothing but trouble for them.

"Dad! Dad! Grandpa Gold...look at what I won!" Henry called, as he showed them his stuffed wolf.

"Nice buddy," he said, giving him a high five.

"A wolf...a very wise animal," Gold said.

"Let's go show Mom Emma, and Grams and Gramps," he said. Neal chuckled and they followed.

~*~

"You're here," Tamara said, as she rounded the corner and the blonde turned to face her.

"I decided I needed to come see the situation myself. A bit earlier than I thought, but I've been patient long enough, believe me," she said, as she quietly observed the people in the near distance.

"Neal reacted about like you said. He's dropped his life in New York like a bad habit," Tamara mused. She smirked.

"I've been told that children do that...they make you forget everything you previously have and forge a whole new life. Even if it means cutting out those that don't fit in anymore," she said.

"You sound like you're speaking from experience, Ms. Blake," Tamara replied.

"Yes…I once had a sister that cast me aside the moment her beloved daughter was born. She used to shower me with attention and then something she considered more beautiful came into her world and stole her and everyone else's attention," she said.

"I was cast away into obscurity, but none of that matters now. I paved my own path and became a star in my own right," she added.

"Yes…I'm still not sure what a fashion mogul like you wants with this town or its supposed secrets," Tamara replied.

"And you'll know that when I'm ready for you too. For now, keep observing as you have been," she said, as she observed her niece with her prince.

"So...no longer cursed it would seem. How interesting," she mused.

~*~

Emma sipped at her cocoa and browsed some of the vendor stands aimlessly.

"Cinnamon roll?" Ruby asked, as she offered one to her. Emma nodded and handed her some money, before digging in.

"Mmm...that's really good," she complimented.

"Yeah…I figured you'd like that. It's Mary Margaret's favorite too," Ruby said, watching the other woman's face darken a bit.

"When are you going to stop being mad at her?" Ruby asked.

"I'm not mad at her," Emma insisted.

"Then why the cold shoulder? I can believe that most of the stick in the muds in this town might shun her for supposedly having a part in ending David's marriage to Kathryn, but you don't strike me as the judgemental type. Am I really supposed to believe that you're shunning her, because of who she's sleeping with?" Ruby asked. Emma sighed.

"This has nothing to do with David," Emma replied.

"Then what is it? What did she do to ruin such a close friendship?" Ruby asked curiously. Emma huffed.

"Nothing...it's complicated," she insisted.

"Well...you should un-complicate it, because something tells me that Mary Margaret would do anything for you and somehow, I sense that David would too," Ruby said. Emma snorted.

"Yeah...don't be so sure about that," she muttered.

"I am sure...I can tell by the way they look at you. I don't know what's going on between the three of you...but for someone who has always wanted a family, you're sure giving the ones that want to be that family to you the brush off," Ruby said, as she went back to serving other customers. Emma looked at them and then saw her son run up to them so she made her way over there.

~*~

Snow accepted a bite of the warm, gooey cinnamon roll they had purchased from one of the food stands.

"Mmm...you always know when I need cinnamon and always manage to get it for me," she swooned. He chuckled.

"Yeah...it's nice that it's a little more readily available in this land," he replied. She smiled sheepishly, remembering how he would leave the castle many times during her pregnancy and ride to one of the village marketplaces to buy it for her. Then late at night, instead of waking the staff, he'd make sweet treats and drinks for her with it.

"You are so good to me," she gushed.

"I live to make you happy, you know that," he said, enjoying a bite himself. And she knew in turn that just being together made them both happier than they could have imagined at one time. She rested her head on his arm and reflected on that lonely time when she was living as a bandit and had lost faith that love was even real, much less true love. She was sure any hope of finding love, let alone true love, was lost to her. Then she stole his mother's ring and he tackled her and even after taking a rock to the face, he tracked her down to retrieve his mother's ring. That had sent them on a whirlwind adventure to get it back from some trolls and in turn cemented the instant connection they seemed to have upon their meeting.

She remembered trying on his mother's ring in an offhand move and not really wanting to take it off. The moment she had put it on he hadn't wanted it off her finger either. She had returned in then for a time and in the end, he placed it on her finger himself.

Despite a terrible dark curse and lost memories, the ring had survived and remained on her finger; a true feat that could only mean that their true love was unbreakable, even by the darkest of curses. He seemed to be thinking along the same line as her, as they both looked at the ring on her finger.

"It survived the curse and all these years," he mentioned.

"Mmm...like our love. You never wanted it off my finger the day you put it there and I never did either. Even the curse couldn't change that," she said. He smiled and kissed her tenderly.

"Grams, Gramps...look what I won!" Henry said excitedly.

"Wow...nice, kid," David said, patting him on the back.

"A wolf...they're a very special animal," Snow agreed, as they exchanged a glance.

"Wasn't it the Huntsman's best friend?" Henry asked. David nodded.

"It was...and he saved me from execution at his own expense," he replied.

"I miss him...I mean Graham," Henry said.

"Us too honey," Snow replied, as she looked up to see Emma there and knew her daughter missed him very much as well.

"Hey Mom...I won this for you. I know Graham is gone...but it reminds me of him," Henry said. Emma accepted the gift and smiled at him, as she ruffled his hair.

"Thanks Henry," she said.

"We're all here, because of him, right Grams?" Henry asked. Snow saw how uncomfortable that was making Emma, but she wouldn't lie to Henry.

"That's right honey...he was very brave and he spared my life. Then he helped free David so he could find me and wake me from the sleeping curse. We owe him everything," she admitted and then looked at Emma in the eyes. The blonde recalled the night of his death very clearly and the way he had looked at her. She then shook her head, refusing to play into it and stalked off. Snow's heart sank again and David put his arms around her.

"Why won't she believe?" Henry asked.

"Oh buddy...she will. It's just a lot for her to accept, but she'll come around. It's hard, but we have to be patient," David replied, as he put his free arm around him and hugged him too.

"Henry...it's time to go home," Regina snapped, as she approached.

"It's still pretty early," Neal protested.

"Henry has school in the morning and it's nearly eight. According to the judge, he's to be returned to me on the weeknights by eight," she reminded him. Neal sighed and hugged him tightly.

"I'll see you tomorrow, kid," he promised. Henry nodded and surprised Snow with a hug. She nearly melted at that and hugged him in return with a smile. The whole scene made Regina's blood boil.

"I miss you at school," he said sadly.

"Oh, I miss you too...but I'll see you soon," she promised, trying to ignore Regina's glower. She watched him go and looked around, but didn't find Emma anywhere.

"Can we go home?" she asked. David nodded and kissed her forehead. They said goodbye to Neal and Gold, before heading for the loft.

"Perhaps you should go find Emma," Gold suggested.

"I'd like to...but I know when it's best to leave her alone," Neal said, as they headed home too.

~*~

Narcissa walked along Main street and observed the properties present. There were no vacancies and that wouldn't do at all. She needed a place to set up shop, so she went into the dress store and wrinkled her nose. The fashions there were abhorrent and at least two decades old.

"Can I help you?" the woman asked. She didn't know who she was back in the Enchanted Forest and she didn't care. She was probably some peasant worth less than the price of her Armani pantsuit.

"Yes…I'm here to buy you out," Narcissa said.

"Excuse me?" the woman asked in confusion. The blonde smirked and pushed a check toward her. The woman's eyes widened with the amount of zeros on it.

"You want to buy the store?" she asked.

"Yes…and rebrand it. I'm Narcissa Blake...maybe you've heard of me," she said.

"Blake Fashions...the high end line from New York?" the woman asked in amazement.

"That's me...the envy of New England and the world, of course," she replied.

"This is more money than I've ever seen...sold," the woman said.

"Excellent…" Narcissa said. Now she just had to hire some movers to do away with all the inventory in the store and replace it with her own. She walked back into the office and wrinkled her nose. This place certainly needed a lot of work, but she had the money to transform this entire place into her headquarters in Storybrooke. Yes, this would do nicely as a base and allow her to observe her niece. Then she would find the perfect way to destroy her.

[jelloopy]

Murder on The Rockport Limited Notes

Previous: Character Creation, HtbG, Moonlighting

Ch 1

Robbie is a halfling who is pretty shitty but he’s good at making “potions” (Robbie is the roommate that everyone really hates but doesn’t want him to leave because he is their plug)

Taako is on the top bunk, Magnus is under Taako, Robbie is next to Taako and Merle is under Robbie

They are woken up at 3 am to report to Lucretia (3 am really?)

”Yeah it’s like Mario Mario or Luigi Mario” ~Griffin (This is so funny because this actually proves that Taako’s last name really is Taaco. Before Justin played it as a joke but this kinda derails that)

Robbie asks them for Pringles when they leave (Thus the beginning of me and the boys not remembering him by anything other than Pringles)

They arrive in their PJs (Taako is in footie pajamas and Merle’s has a flap in at the butt with a Kenny Chesney tattoo on his ass) (When the hell did Merle get that tattoo. Also, why is Lucretia in her full BoB garb right now? Was she asleep and get changed really quickly? Do her robes double as PJ’s? Did she just not go to sleep?)

Taako says he gets night terrors that’s why he’s in like a full-body Onesie/sleeping bag (That is so fricking sad if you think about his backstory later on…)

Magnus just starts changing clothing right then and there when Lucretia tells them that they don’t have time to get ready (This man really has no shame or boundaries. I imagine it was the same in the century tbh)

Leimann Kessler (half-elf man) was murdered before he was even on the train but was able to secure the Relic on the train (Personally, don’t know a lot about how trains work but this to me is kinda odd. Who knew he died? Do their bracers know when the wearer perishes? Is there like a body temp check and a pulse check in there too? We know that it can track them but… how much more can it do…)

All the relics come from a different school of magic. They were never in the hands of someone long enough to learn what they are capable of (Potentially this is a lie. We would have already known the names, schools of magic, and possibly what they could do based upon that alone. I bet Lucretia is hiding that info in her office)

The Gauntlet deals with Evocation magic (Hmmm, I can only imagine why. Maybe because Lup also worked in Evocation magic?)

Avi is manning the cannon! The whole scene with Magnus High as hell. Avi Never learned how to Wink (Avi you’re adorable I love you. Magnus. Get your shit together man.)

Taako pulls the lever too early and they change trajectory into a swamp

Leech fight! (I honest to god forgot this even happened before listening to it again. Not my fave fight)

Ch 2

Merle gets a lot of blood sucked from him by the leeches

Merle is completely submerged in the swamp and Magnus pulls his ass out (Why is it always Merle)

”Scientists have yet to agree” ~Griffin (I personally use this phrase all the time. It just makes me laugh so hard every time.)

Taako can levitate (I really wished he used this more ngl. I would also like to see some more fanart of this)

They are in Rockport! Covered in swamp shit!

Tom Beaudette! We see his house and they get hosed off then they see him at the ticket station again. (What a nice guy!)

Leimann, Diddly, and Justin Kessler (10/10 best alias’ ever)

Taako Charms Tom (It’s a nice go-to huh?)

Merle really wants to murder tom he wanted him to step in front on the train (Merle really is the one who goes straight for murder)

Ch 3

Hudson, Jess the Beheader, Graham Juicy Wizard, ANGUSSSSSSSS, and Jenkins McShittywizard (My favorite train gang!)

Travis making fun of Griffin for how he needs to sleep with 100000000 pillows (I cherish all of these out of character bits where they really just dog on one another)

Angus, my sweet summer child don’t talk to strangers. We know your grandfather’s name was long forgotten even though you’re going to visit him in Never Winter.

The boys legit think Angus is evil and Griffin yells at them bc they are being racist. (1- how are they being legit racist? You haven’t introduced anything about Angus’ race at all?) (2- Jesus he is only 10 years old my dudes)

Graham is 36 years young and is crazy obsessed with trains and his real name is Percy? He is shadowing Jenkins in hopes of learning more about working on a train

Taako from TV! (And so his legend begins!)

Ch 4

Jenkins is harnessing a limited version of teleportation magic

Angus calling the boys out on their bullshit

Taako calling Angus “pumpkin” (Literally melts my heart. I wish someone called me cute nicknames. Also, Taako hasn’t even talked to this kid that much and that name is reoccurring)

Angus has a nondescript blue book that is able to intercept messages sent through magical means (Where did this child get this book and who let him keep it? This is legit just like letting children under 13 have access to the unrestricted internet. It’s literal Hell)

The bit with Angus and “PRYING EYES AND EARS!” (uh foreshadowing my guy)

They find “Jenkins” Dead body after hearing Graham scream

Merle is able to identify a lot of things by looking at the body (It still scares me that he is technically a Physician.)

Angus pulls a small CROSSBOW OUT OF HIS SLEEVE? (Where did he get this, how did he keep it from Hudson, Why the fuck does he have it)

Angus really said “you guys run I’ll get rid of him!” and grabs Graham and runs (How strong is this child. He’s legit lifting and pulling a grown-ass man without help)

”I’m following Angus I’ll see yall in hell!” ~Taako (Yes follow the badass 10-year old please)

”I wanna tell you about the time about this time there were three ogres…”~Taako

The Foley work bit and then Griffin just snapping “The train derails and you all die” (Another out of character goof that I cherish)

”I shit and take 14 damage” ~Griffin (are you okay? How much health do you have? What’s your max HP dude?)

Taako makes the Crab monster Levitate

Magnus punched the crab monster out of the window and it got scrapped up on the side of the train

Ch 5

They follow the Crab into their sleeper car and Magnus attacks with a chair and Griffin says “I imagine because you are so skilled at carpentry that you’ve had to attack someone with a chair before so you are in fact proficient in this attack”

Jess comes in and finishes the crab off with her Soul bound ax that she can conjure at any time (This legit just means that Jenkins did not need to carry her ax to the crypt safe. She let him do it for shits n giggles. We stan)

Jess got her last name legally changed to “Beheader” and Magnus says that he got his legally changed to “The Hammer” (Really Magnus… this isnt 3rd grade stop trying to impress her. It’s that or it could be another sad reference to “Hammer and Tongs” which would mean Julia was “Tongs” D: that is so depressing and cute)

Magnus and Merle are making good progress in solving the murder

”Alright lads” “oh fuck” When Merle keeps up his disguise as Leimann Kessler (It’s so funny because his fake Leimann Kessler is just his current Argonaut Keen.)

”I cast ZONE OF TRUTH” “Jesus you’re like a zone of truth cleric” (Oh honey. This is just the beginning)

Magnus wakes Graham up with a 5% smack with his left hand and then a 6.5% smack also with his left hand (Wtf is this BNHA? Alright Deku)

Taako is an Alcoholic? (He keeps asking for a drink ...This is a bit concerning but it makes sense)

Magnus slaps Graham again with 7.2% and he popped something in Graham’s jaw and he begins screaming but Merle heals him (OKAY DEKU COOL IT MY GUY)

”I wanna be a guy... with a head!” ~” Hudson” (hehe foreshadowing)

SCUTTLE BUDDY!!!!! (A short but adorable life you have my Lil man)

Ch 6

The “fisticuffs” scene with Taako and Angus (Now this is really concerning considering his backstory. I know it’s a joke because of how many people they accidentally kill all the time but like dude… little do you know…)

Angus leading them through the mystery is so cute. But also you know its Griffin trying to get his family to really think it through and I love it. (It really makes my heart really full to hear Griffin get really excited when they figure it out slowly instead of mocking them when they guess wrong)

MERLE YES! MAGNUS YES! YOU’RE GETTING IT! YOU’RE SO CLOSE! (Teamwork makes the dream work baby!)

Magnus jumps out of the train and Griffin gets really serious and gives him the “if you fail this you will actually die” speech (This coupled with the fight scene that Magnus accidentally skipped and the fact that originally Travis did want Magnus to die so he could re-roll a rogue is so wild)

Magnus is gonna become a wrecking ball Jesus (very Magnus-core)

Hell yeah, Magnus! Knock the meat monster into Jenkins!!

Magnus gets hit for 10 points at 1hp and paries it for 10 points! (Top ten anime near-death experiences)

Jenkins threatens to kill the meat monster. Horribly misses then is thrown off the fucking train by the meat monster (Get fucked wrecked Jenkins that’s what you get for being cocky!)

Ch 7

They find the dousing rod compass that Jenkins was using and find the monocle (Pirates of the Caribbean much?)

Taako grabs The Oculus because he has escaped the thrall of a relic before

It tells him that it can make anything he can imagine (This is really interesting tbh)

The Umbrastaff eATS JENKINS WAND!!! and a Lil sigil appears on the handle of the staff that also looks like an umbrella (Lup gets fed lmao. Don’t really understand the Sigil appearing tho. It doesn’t come up any other time I don’t think so it’s cool)

Taako grabs the teleport wand thing and asks everyone to leave and he grabs a bunch of shit from the Cryptsafe pile (Very Taako-core)

They make it to the engineer’s room and Graham tries to slow the train down but he can’t

Taako wanted to open the gate to Never Winter to Phandalin but they change it to Jenkins’ garden because it needs to be a room with “one entrance” (Solid idea on Taako’s part. If it were to work no one would have been hurt)

Taako pushed Angus off the train and he looses two teeth (This man pushed a whole child off the train… ‘Ight)

Magnus dies by jumping off the train (Top ten anime death scenes)

Taako successfully opens the gate into Jenkin’s garden and the train crashes into the garden

Magnus is stabilized by Merle (Awe so the Cleric can do his job!)

Angus gives them pringles for Robbie and the compass. Taako gives Angus one of the forks from his grandfather’s set.

They go to a nearby Never Winter Clinic to get patched up

Out of character, they choose to work on voices and Griffin calls them out bc he’s been doing 8 “different” voices and Clint goes “Yeah try doing that for 40 years” get fuckin rOASTED Ditto! (Also Griffin I love you but like 3 of the voices were the exact same and 2 were so similar it wasn’t funny. Don’t get me wrong different voices aren’t my strong suit either but ya did give it your best shot so.)

We goin’ back to the moon baby!

AVI MY MAIN MAN! (I will forever and always want and need more Avi screen time)

The oculus works with illusory magic (Which is very interesting bc I know it was made by Davenport because he also worked in allusory magic but I don’t ever remember him using any magic… who knows maybe he has and I just never realized)

Lucretia thought they were gonna get it off the train before it left... woman… (You’ve known these men for how long and you thought they were gonna w h a t?)

Next: Lunar Interlude I, 

[theonceoverthinker]

OUAT 1X08 - Desperate Souls

Holy smokes! Not counting today’s review, I’ve racked up 30 pages worth of content for this rewatch!!! For me - someone who has barely written maybe twenty pages total for everything OUaT in the two and a half years I’ve been here - that’s pretty neat!

So, without further adieu, let’s SOUL-der on and talk about this adventure, for I know you’re DESPERATE to read my thoughts under the cut!

Press Release Regina and Mr. Gold play dirty politics and take opposite sides when Emma runs for a coveted Storybrooke public office against Sidney. Meanwhile, back in the fairytale world that was, Rumplestiltskin tries to track down the ultimate power source in order to help his son avert the horrors of a meaningless war. General Thoughts Past The intro to this episode is phenomenal. Immediately, we’re thrust into the action and everything from the writing to the storytelling tells us what we need to know about the characters and the unique setting they’re currently living in. We feel the fear that they do and it’s intense. And what’s better is that sentiment carries on through the rest of the episode. The biggest draw it got out of me over the course of the episode’s runtime was this dual feeling of sorrow and pity as the child collector madde Rumple kiss his boot. It gives the murder at the end of the episode an extreme layer of catharsis. Fuck, I gotta talk about that scene between Rumple and Zoso. This scene sets the standard for so much of Rumple’s life going forward. I love that here is where we get to hear the line “all magic comes with a price for the first time.” While Rumple won’t know that true price for some time, he clearly gets the sense that he’s in for a rough time in this moment. For someone who is so often on this series on the other side of this equation, Rumple was new to the concept at one point too, and it’s so crazy to revisit that.

The theme of being wary of how one acts in times of desperation really works in this flashback, and that’s because of consistent character writing in accordance with their stakes. Present The intro here is fantastic too. While I didn’t like the drama from the last episode, the way that this scene handles it makes it feel better. It builds on it while keeping things subtle and at the same time, furthering the storytelling from the past’s segment’s intro through the bonding point of parenthood - whether either party is conscious of it or not. Emma’s conflict in this episode is so good. It shines leagues above what it was in the last episode because it’s actually having to do with characteristics and dynamics of hers that are actually established, and what’s better is that it melts together like a fine stew. We see right from the get go - as stated before - that Graham’s death and Emma’s subsequent grief has something to do with her desire for the job, but also, Emma’s rivalry with Regina and her desire to assuage Henry of his anxieties as best as she can without playing into (what she believes to be) his delusions of the curse. I like how the ending works too. While I don’t think the reiterated wham line works the way the writers intended it to, Emma’s victory isn’t taken from her and it’s not any less earned. However, the final twist is still able to be effective and prove that while a force against Gold, Emma is still up against someone always a step ahead of her. Both There’s a fascinating couple of moments in both the past and present that I want to touch upon. First is a cool contrast between Rumple and Emma. Rumple discusses the role that Bae plays in his life, while Emma talks about the role that she plays in Henry’s life. I like how those discussions come before our leads hear about possibilities/make decisions that completely alter their current standings in life. “I know how to recognize a desperate soul.” This line works really well in the case of the flashback, but kind of feels like a round peg in a square hole in the present. Emma’s not in a dire straight the way Rumple is, despite the internal weight of the conflict. I don’t consider it a major problem, however because while very much a wham line, acting as if it’s supposed to be the central theme of the episode when it’s not, it doesn’t take away from the good story from before that moment. I love how the general theme of this episode - while the forces of good never intentionally try to incorporate evil into their endeavors, sometimes it can’t be avoided - gets shown in two ways: both consciously and unconsciously. Rumple makes the choice to use darkness in the past and Emma - while not knowledgeable of it - plays into Gold’s game in the present. Emma and Rumple/Gold are fantastic foils to each other and seeing this kind of starting point build as the series goes on is really cool! Insights I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen the intro changed up! I like how it changes depending on the focus of the episode. It’s a good blending of a uniform intro and a recap. Man, I’m gonna be sad when we lose it, though I do miss the “Previously on Once Upon a Time.” I never noticed before, but Zoso’s magic is so distinct from everyone elses. It’s like a supersonic wave rather than the puffs of smoke we’ve seen both before and since this point. “That’s the thing about children - before you know it, you lose them.” I’d be here all day if I tried to unpack that one. Breaking a toaster is the weirdest way to act out in anger. What makes it better is that we don’t see any sign of her attacking it or whatnot so how it got to be that way is up in the air and so much funnier for it! I wonder how a town charter was created. Why would Regina build a balancing system into her curse. Headcanon: Gold used his “please” clause to make it so. I take issue with the duke for not saying “Did you teach him how to run, RUNplestiltskin?” How DARE you pass on that beautiful pun opportunity? “If they take him away, I will truly become dust.” *Cuts to the Season 7 finale* Apparently, that was quite literal. Why can no one identify each other in the flashback? The Duke doesn’t recognize that the beggar is Zoso nor Rumple once he’s become the Dark One! I love how as Rumple and Bae are preparing the lanolin, we get to see hand movements that mirror Rumple’s once he becomes the Dark One. Archie, mate. Speaking from my experiences with a certain blooper reel, you might want to spend a good few seconds practicing the candidate’s names instead of your intro ;) Then again, your public speaking on the whole is just a mess. Practice your finesse. “I can’t beat Regina - not the way she fights.” Regina’s not the one fighting dirty at the moment, or less so: Gold is. Why say a line like that? You gotta wonder, were there ever plans to expand on Zoso’s points about Baelfire or were the writers aware that he was only saying that to get a rise out of Rumple? “You have to tell me what to do.” Oh he will, Rumple. He or Nimue, probably. Damn, I wish we could’ve seen that first night by the Dark One’s vault. Are there fanfics out there for it? “Glass. Swan.” Wow, ship names and hindsight makes that sign hilariously awkward! XD It’s weird how seldom we see blood on Rumple’s dagger. You would think since it’s a weapon, we’d see it more. I don’t know if it was a conscious choice on the hair stylist’s part, but Rumple’s not only blinded by his own ambitions of power in the final flashback scene, but also by his hair! Awww! Emma brings a picture of Henry into her office! I bet she got it from Mary Margaret. The way that Henry’s positioned makes it look like a school photo and she seems like the kind of teacher who would want to keep a record of her old students like photographs for sentimentality! It’s so cute!!! “You knew I’d agree.” I think she’s talking about agreeing to Gold’s initial campaign proposal? Otherwise, this line makes no sense. Arcs The power struggle against Regina - This was a major peg being taken down from Regina, and it was set up very well with Emma being positioned as deputy, which in turn was built off of her skills, and culminated here in her being elected sheriff. Through this moment, we see not only a shift in Emma, but one in Storybrooke as well. While still prone to falling for gossip, the townspeople respond to courage and we finally get to see the impact that both Regina and Gold have had on the town by how people respond to someone standing up to them. Still, going forward, Emma and Regina’s dynamic will in a much more delicate - and much more interesting because of it - place. Gold and Emma’s deal - We only get a brief mention of it here. I wonder what Gold had in mind for Emma’s favor before learning that he needed her help to find Bae outside of Storybrooke. At the very least, we know it wasn’t half of a pastrami sandwich. His loss though. Pastrami’s delicious. Favorite Dynamic Rumple and Bae. I think that the simpler characterizations of Rumple and Bae was a good way to go in this episode, with Rumple as cowardly as we’ve come to expect and Baelfire as brave to a fault. It - partnered with the parent-child power dynamics - makes for a very easy to understand, yet still nuanced conflict. Rumple comes off as more worldly, but still frustratingly stubborn and cowardly while Bae comes across as braver certainly, yet naive too. Rumple’s not wrong when he tells Bae that the call to fight in the Ogre Wars is a call to death, and it conflicts with a lot of our sensibilities that it’s honorable to die in battle. I just love as well how Bae’s faith in Rumple falls as he learns more and more about his father’s past. You can just see the lack of belief when Rumple tells him that his mother is dead, and you have to wonder what Bae’s resolve would be to the events of the end of the episode had that encounter with the Duke in the forest not occurred. But even still, while there’s a noticeable yet slight loss of trust, there’s no love lost, and that helps make the final piece of the flashback all the more tragic and give the audience an insight into what Zoso’s last words to Rumple end up truly meaning. Writer Now here’s the Jane Espenson I know and love in full form! It’s weird that with a more complex theme, she manages to tell a story leagues above her last one’s flashback in terms of quality. It makes me think of an advanced computer science professor that had to teach entry level Web Page Design class I once took. What works in this episode - as did work in the present day section of “That Still Small Voice” is an understanding of stakes. Rumple’s actions get more desperate and Emma’s decision whether to tell of the true reason for the fire get more complicated as higher stakes are revealed to these characters and build on their already present characteristics (Ex. Rumple can’t just take control of the Dark One because he’d be terrified of owning him as a slave, so he has to become the Dark One), whereas in “That Still Small Voice’s” flashback, there was no reason for Jiminy to jump to condemning his parents to a fate worse than death when he’s already conflicted about leaving them because they’re old. Here, the handling is done so much better. Rating 10/10. This episode works really well. I won’t repeat myself too much, but we’re given not one, but two very nuanced and complicated stories to work with and the characters are faced with likewise decisions. Before we end off, I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about Robert Carlyle’s acting because this man is a star here. He displays this insane range throughout his time on the series, but this episode may be one of - if not the best - depictor of it. We get to see his cowardly side, the first bits of madness from being The Dark One, and his more manipulative tendencies in Storybrooke. It’s all conveyed flawlessly through his voice’s tone, body language, and facial expressions. What’s better is that the use of props, costumes, and makeup come together alongside his acting to enhance every moment of screen time he has and show the contrast between his dynamics across the worlds.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Sorry! Not my deepest analysis, I know, but I hope I conveyed just how much I enjoyed the episode! Sometimes, it’s hard to explain what makes something good, but I hope the more comedic “Insights” segment was enough to entertain. Thanks again to the fine folks from @watchingfairytales for putting this project together! Season Tally (66/220) Writer Tally for Season 1: A&E (23/70) Liz Tigelaar (10/20) David Goodman (9/50) Jane Espenson (16/60) Andrew Chambliss (8/10) Ian Goldberg (8/10) Operation Rewatch Archives

[andybondurant]

New Post has been published on Andy Bondurant

New Post has been published on https://andybondurant.com/2021/08/17/communion-graham-crackers-and-juice-boxes/

Communion: Graham Crackers and Juice Boxes?

So many things separate the different denominations within the Church. We disagree about many matters of theology. However, it is the things that most every Christian agrees on are that bind us together. These beliefs are much stronger than what divides us.

The ties that bind

The sacraments are one of these “sticky” items. To be fair, churches even debate the term sacrament. Some denominations don’t like the word sacrament. Other denominations are okay with the term, but don’t agree on what makes a sacrament.

Most commonly, sacraments are known as an outward or physical act that leads to inward grace. Universally, most denominations agree that both communion (the Lord’s Supper) and Baptism are sacraments. Other segments add things like marriage and confession to this list (up to a total of 7).

Communion + Covenant

For now, I want to focus on communion. 

The average church goer thinks of communion in terms of bread and wine or juice and crackers (or maybe graham crackers and juice boxes if you’re in a pinch). If you really want to understand the depth behind the Lord’s Supper, you need go beyond the bread and wine. The importance of communion lies in the word “covenant.”

Contract vs Covenant

We live in a contractual culture. We understand signing a contract. You may have a contract for your job. You may have signed a contract when purchasing a home or car. A contract is legally binding. It ties me to that job, house or car…usually from a financial perspective. But there is one important key when we think about a contract…

We break contracts.

It may cost me financially. We may lose actual dollars. Our credit score may decline (a long-term financial cost). I may lose out on future work. We sign a contract to protect both parties in case the contract is broken…because we break contracts.

Covenant is ancient.

We confuse covenant with contract because we inherently understand contract.  In fact, many times when we refer to covenant within the church, we interchange the word covenant with contract. And while covenant and contract are similar, the implications are vastly different. 

Covenant is ancient. One of the first covenants made is between God and Noah (in essence all of humanity) after the worldwide flood. God promised or made a covenant to never again flood the entire earth (Genesis 8).

However, the next covenant God made maybe the most important ever (excluding what Jesus did, which we will get to in a moment). God and Abraham “cut” covenant after Abraham left his home and took his small family to an unknown location displaying his faith in God (Genesis 15). God appeared to Abraham and reaffirmed the promise to make Abraham into a great nation. Then God literally cuts in half several animals and walks between the pieces to establish this covenant between Him and Abraham (hence the term “cut” covenant). It’s a bloody picture for sure, but the meaning is immense for Abraham, his lineage, the Jewish people, and even you and me.

Covenants are forever.

God’s promise in this covenant with Abraham was forever. Humans cannot break a covenant with God. Abraham and his descendants could (and did) attempt to break the covenant, but God wouldn’t. Abraham and his descendants would belong to God. God would be their God.

God would be with them.

The Old Testament is the story of this covenant God made with Abraham. It’s the story of His people both keeping and breaking the covenant. It’s a story of God’s faithfulness to His covenant even in the midst of their unfaithfulness. This covenant remained until the time of Jesus. 

A new covenant

And then Jesus ushered in a new covenant.

What makes the Lord’s Supper so important, both at that time, today and into the future is the symbolism of God’s new covenant. Blood is integral to creating covenant (circumcision was originally a reminder of God’s covenant with Abraham). Abraham sacrificed several animals at that first covenant. God sacrificed his own Son for this covenant. The act of communion recreates this covenant, hence the reason it is a sacrament (and outward act dispensing inward grace) to all who partake.

When you eat the bread and drink the wine, you physically reaffirm the covenant God made 2000 years ago. You admit your short coming. Partaking in the bread and wine declares you are a sinner. You remind yourself of your need for a savior. But just as importantly, you identify with Jesus as a child of God.

You cut covenant with God.

The amazing thing is God now sees you as his child…forever. This covenant between you and Him can not end. You may make mistakes. You may…no you will…sin again (and again…and again). The covenant will remain between you and God. Short of walking away…forever…there is nothing you can do to break God’s covenant. And even then, God will continue to chase you, longing to keep the covenant He has made with you.

But communion is more than covenant. It IS about the bread and the wine. There is a reason Jesus kept the meal simple. The bread means something. The wine is important. Jesus is speaking to use in these two simple elements.

Communion: the Bread

In the book of John, there is the famous story of Jesus feeding 5,000+ people with only 5 loaves of bread and a couple of fish. The next day, a large group of people gather around Jesus, demanding another miracle. In their demands, they refer all the way back to Moses feeding the Israelites in the wilderness. God miraculously sent manna or bread from heaven daily to the Israelites as they wandered the desert for 40 years.

The people ask Jesus to give them this type of bread again…daily. Jesus replies, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)

When Jesus passes the bread around the table on the night he was betrayed for his last meal with his friends he refers back to this encounter. Jesus says, “This is my body, which is given for you.” (Luke 22:19)

Jesus is the sustenance we are looking for. He sustains us spiritually, emotionally, and even physically (his body was broken on his road to the cross and on the cross itself, so we can experience healing. The full healing is complete upon our death and resurrection with Jesus in eternity). We look for help and support all over the place, and many of those support systems are a great supplement, but Jesus is enough. 

Jesus is the bread of life.

Communion: the wine.

Next, Jesus passes around a cup of wine and says, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people — an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.” (Luke 22:20)

Ah, do you see it now? Jesus made a covenant between us and God. Jesus used his own blood to confirm this covenant. The wine or juice we drink at communion is a reminder of what happened 2,000 years ago. I am in an unbreakable covenant with God. Despite my own unfaithfulness, God remains faithful.

Again, looking back to Moses, on the night of the first Passover, a lamb was sacrificed in every Jewish household as a sign of the forgiveness of their sins. A bit of the blood was then painted on the door frame of every house so the angel of death would pass-over that house.

Every time you partake in the Lord’s Supper, you reconfirm the covenant between yourself and God. But in addition to all of that, when you drink the juice, you are now made whole and clean through this sacrifice of Jesus. God forgave your sins. The ultimate destruction will pass-over your life.

Communion: Don’t forget.

When Jesus hands the bread to his friends, he adds these few words, “Do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19). Communion is an act of remembering. We remember the covenant God has made with us. Communion reminds us Jesus is enough. We remember our sins are forgiven. We are reminded we are now God’s children.

With this perspective, communion is so much more than just a cracker and juice while it is still all about the bread and the wine. It is indeed a sacrament. So don’t forget, God dispensed grace to you. Remember, God forgave you. Be reminded of who you belong to. You are a child of God. 

Forever.

[alexsfictionaddiction]

Alex Recommends: August Books

I realise that it is becoming a monthly trend to apologise for these posts being a little late and that’s a habit I really need to get out of. I’ve had a lot going on in August which has resulted in huge reading surges followed by huge reading slumps, so I had a few books that I wanted to finish before writing this post. 

I have now decided to declare myself as living in between my South London childhood hometown and my boyfriend’s place in Staffordshire. This semi-nomadic, two-homes lifestyle suits me because I do find that I get bored and ‘stuck’, if I stay in one place for too long. Of course, I’ll be happy to stick somewhere whenever Mark and I can afford to get a place together because generally, I’m at my happiest when I’m with him.

I’m lucky that my work is done entirely from a laptop, so it doesn’t really matter where I am actually based. Speaking of which, despite some verification problems with my Fiverr account last week (don’t ask!), I have seen a recent boom in freelance clients, which is fantastic. I’m FINALLY earning money from my writing! I’m going to use this moment to plug myself, of course, so if you or anyone you know is in need of a copywriter or blogger, send me a message on Fiverr and we can have a chat. I’m happy to tailor any of my existing packages to your needs, so let me know what you want and I’ll see if I can accommodate it.

Unfortunately I am still behind on my book reviews but I do have some fantastic titles coming up on the blog throughout September, so keep an eye out for my thoughts on some new releases. For now though, here are five books I’ve read in August that you should definitely know about! Hope you’re all well and staying safe. -Love, Alex x

SHOULD HAVE READ IT LAST YEAR: The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern.

As a huge fan of The Night Circus, I was always going to read The Starless Sea eventually. I even went to the launch event in October and yet I’ve only just got around to reading it. Follow Zachary Ezra Rawlins, a gaming scholar, as he opens a mysterious book from his campus library, uncovers the secrets of the Starless Sea and realises its intricate unfathomable connections to his own life. This complex, immersive, whimsical fantasy completely captivated me, took me through so many emotions and spat me back into reality on finishing it. It’s a must read for bookworms, gamers and cat lovers!

FICTION: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.

Continuing the library theme, the new Matt Haig novel follows 35-year-old Nora Seed, who has decided that she is done with her terrible failure of a life. On taking an overdose, she wakes up in front of her old school librarian Mrs Elm in The Midnight Library, where all the possible versions of her life fill the shelves. Can Nora finally find the life of happiness and success that she craves and learn how to live again? I am a huge Matt Haig fan anyway but this wonderful, hopeful, life-affirming novel is truly incredible. Exploring the power of choice, the meaning of success and what it means to be alive in our own small way, it really is a book for everyone. In fact, I’m already thinking of buying several copies as Christmas gifts!

MIDDLE-GRADE: Death Sets Sail by Robin Stevens.

The ninth and final instalment of the Murder Most Unladylike series is sadly upon us. Daisy and Hazel have taken a trip to Egypt on a cruise along the Nile with a mysterious society made up of upper-class men and women, who believe themselves to be reincarnations of pharoahs. Of course, murder is just around the corner. Full of twists, laughs and a huge amount of cleverness, Death Sets Sail is a perfect, emotional end to my favourite mystery series. Although most of this series is classed as middle-grade, Daisy and Hazel are 15 in this one, meaning it’s probably tipping into YA by this point. However, as it’s the ninth in the series, I would certainly recommend starting at the beginning. If you love amateur sleuth stories in the vein of Christie and Conan Doyle, you’ll race through them.

YA: The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones by Daven McQueen.

In the summer of 1955, Ethan Harper is sent to live with his aunt and uncle in Alabama, where his biracial skin makes him very unwelcome until kind, free spirit Juniper Jones befriends him and helps him see that beauty can be found in the darkest of places. Juniper is a character that we should all aim to emulate from her compassion through to her determination and zest for life. Emotionally charged and hugely inspirational, this beautiful friendship-focused YA is addictive and eye-opening.  

HORROR: The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones.

When four American-Indian men shoot a whole herd of elk, they have no idea that this event will haunt them years later, as a supernatural entity seems hell-bent on revenge and will pick them off, one by one. It has been a while since I read a horror as unique as The Only Good Indians. I adored immersing myself in the indigenous culture, hearing the characters speak as Native Americans do and learning about some of their experiences. Incredibly eerie, disturbing and with some scenes of extreme violence (including against animals, so beware), it manages to weave cultural issues in there too. A whole lot to unpack and I’ll be thinking about it for a good long while.

[heejinsgf]

@jiwoochu​ hello hello it's me, ur secret santa!! you said you read a lot, so i hope you haven't read at least some of these books, and hope that you enjoy them! stay cozy this holiday season, you lovely bookworm <3

end of days - eric walters

“It's 2012 and the world's most renowned astrophysicists, astronomers, and theoretical mathematicians have all died within the same 12-month period. But as these scientists discover, none of them are really dead after all. They have been taken hostage by alien forces. And while their family and friends are mourning their passing, and with the help of a 16-year-old with rare gifts, they face the ultimate struggle of prevailing over evil and returning themselves--and the earth--to safety.” [Goodreads]

catboy - eric walters

“Taylor and his mother have moved from a small northern town to the heart of Toronto. The differences are dramatic as Taylor becomes part of a classroom of kids as diverse as the city itself. While taking a shortcut across a junkyard with his new best friend, Simon, Taylor becomes aware of a colony of wild cats that make the junkyard their home. Assisted by his classmates, teacher and the security guard, Mr. Singh, Taylor takes a special interest in caring for the cats. Suddenly there is an announcement--the junkyard is being redeveloped to become condominiums. Can Taylor and his friends save the cats of the colony from certain death?” [Goodreads]

hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet - jamie ford

"Set during one of the most conflicted and volatile times in American history - the internment of American-Japanese families during World War II - Jamie Ford has created an unforgettable duo whose story teaches us about forgiveness and the power of the human heart." [Goodreads]

the underneath - kathi appelt

"A calico cat, about to have kittens, hears the lonely howl of a chained-up hound deep in the backwaters of the bayou. She dares to find him in the forest, and the hound dares to befriend this cat, this feline, this creature he is supposed to hate. They are an unlikely pair, about to become an unlikely family. Ranger urges the cat to hide underneath the porch, to raise her kittens there because Gar-Face, the man living inside the house, will surely use them as alligator bait should he find them. But they are safe in the Underneath...as long as they stay in the Underneath." [Goodreads]

the tenant of wildfell hall - anne bronte

"Anne's novel is the story of the beautiful and mysterious Helen Graham, who arrives at Wildfell Hall suddenly one day. No-one knows who she is or where she has come from, and Gilbert Markham, a young farmer who has fallen in love with her, sets out to find some answers. This is an ambitious and successful work that is a real pleasure to listen to." [Goodreads] (sidenote: a story about a woman escaping from marital abuse, and female agency <3)

the breadwinner trilogy - deborah ellis

"All girls [should read] The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis." — Malala Yousafzai, New York Times [Goodreads]

hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy - douglas adams

Seconds before Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor. Together, this dynamic pair began a journey through space aided by a galaxyful of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox, the two-headed, three-armed, ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian (formerly Tricia McMillan), Zaphod’s girlfriend, whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; Marvin, a paranoid, brilliant, and chronically depressed robot; and Veet Voojagig, a former graduate student obsessed with the disappearance of all the ballpoint pens he’s bought over the years. [Goodreads]

a wrinkle in time - madeleine l'engle

“It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger... Meg's father had been experimenting with this fifth dimension of time travel when he mysteriously disappeared. Now the time has come for Meg, her friend Calvin, and Charles Wallace to rescue him. But can they outwit the forces of evil they will encounter on their heart-stopping journey through space?” [Goodreads]

[the-master-cylinder]

SUMMARY Fifty years after a nuclear holocaust, mankind is decimated and the surviving nations—the western-influenced Market and the Russian-influenced Confederation—have agreed to outlaw traditional open war. In their place, disputes are settled with gladiator-style matches between giant robots operated by pilots called “robot jox” who are contracted to fight ten matches. The Confederation champion is Alexander (Paul Koslo), who has killed his last nine opponents thanks in part to a spy in the Market leaking information to the Confederation. The Market’s champion, Achilles (Gary Graham) has won nine fights and will fight his final match against Alexander for the territory of Alaska. Achilles is supported by robot designer “Doc” Matsumoto (Danny Kamekona) and strategist Tex Conway (Michael Alldredge), the only jox to win all ten of his contract fights.

As Achilles gets the upper hand in the match, Alexander launches a rocket fist at him. The projectile goes out of control and heads toward the bleachers. Achilles intercepts the projectile but his robot takes the full force of the impact and is knocked into the crowd, killing over 300 people. The referees declare the match a draw and order a rematch, but Achilles, shaken by what happened, declares this was his contractual tenth match and announces his retirement. He goes to live with his brother Philip and his family, and finds he is publicly branded a traitor and a coward. Meanwhile, a new jox is chosen to face Alexander, a genetically engineered “gen jox” named Athena (Anne-Marie Johnson), who is the first female jox. Worried for Athena and attracted to her, Achilles returns to the Market and agrees to fight Alexander again, infuriating Athena.

As Achilles’ robot is rebuilt, Matsumoto refuses to divulge any knowledge of its new weapons so it cannot be leaked by the spy, and Conway confides in Achilles he believes Matsumoto is the spy. Conway confronts Matsumoto in his office. Matsumoto reveals he has analyzed Conway’s final fight and deduced that the “lucky” laser hit Conway claims allowed him to defeat a clearly superior opponent was in fact deliberately aimed; Matsumoto accuses Conway of being a Confederation agent. Conway confesses and shoots Matsumoto, who secretly records the deed as part of the mission briefing. Conway informs the Market leadership that Matsumoto was the spy. On the day of the fight Athena drugs Achilles and steals his jox suit to commandeer the robot. Unable to stop the fight once she takes the field, the Market decides to support her. While watching Matsumoto’s briefing on the robot’s new weaponry, the footage of Conway killing Matsumoto is played and Conway jumps down the robot’s elevator shaft to his death.

Alexander takes the field against Athena. Athena takes the early advantage, but Alexander overpowers her and incapacitates the robot. The fight is declared in Alexander’s favor and referees order him to stand down. Achilles arrives on the field and takes over the robot from Athena while Alexander smashes the referee hovercraft; the two jox stand to continue the fight. Both robots take to the air and a short space battle ensues. Alexander critically damages Achilles’ robot, forcing him to crash land and flee for cover to the arm of Alexander’s robot Athena sliced off earlier in the fight. Achilles hotwires the arm to launch its fist at Alexander, destroying his robot. Alexander emerges from the wreckage and the two battle with poles before Achilles finally convinces Alexander a match does not have to end with the death of a jock. Alexander throws down his weapon, and they salute each other with the jox’s traditional “crash and burn” fist bump.

DEVELOPMENT Gordon conceived Robot Jox while making Dolls in Rome. “I’m a big fan of the Japanese Transformer toys,” he explained from his office, which overlooks Sunset Boulevard. “While there have been animated cartoons based on these giant robots, no one has ever attempted a live-action feature about them. It struck me that it was a natural fantasy for the big screen-and a terrific opportunity to take advantage of the special effects that are available today.”

Steve Burg’s 1986 concept art

Gordon approached science-fiction writer Joe Haldeman to write a screenplay based on Gordon’s original story itself based on the story of Achilles from Homer’s Iliad-having worked with him two years prior on an ambitious stage adaptation of Haldeman’s most celebrated book, The Forever War: Dennis Paoli (co-author of Gordon’s Re-Animator and From Beyond) put the final draft through various rewrites.

“Joe is part of an Air Force think tank to develop weaponry for the future,” explained Gordon, “so he was able to incorporate a lot of actual existing technology into the script and to hypothesize where it might all lead. Then we started storyboarding the film. The reaction to Dave’s footage was excellent, and Charlie was able to get the project rolling on a projected $10 million budget-a huge budget for an Empire film. I think Charlie saw it as Empire’s chance to move up into larger-budget films.”

“Haldeman did 11 drafts of the script,” the director recalls. “Joe’s experience in Vietnam was helpful here because the story’s about our future, 50 years after an atomic war. The world is basically broken down into two superpowers: The Market, which is like the Common Market except that Japan and the United States are part of it, and the Confederation, which is everybody else. Earth has vowed no war will ever take place again, so international disputes are settled by single combat between pilots of huge robots.” These pilots are called robot jockeys or robot jocks

The sequence, using robots designed by Kevin Altieri, was storyboarded by Altieri from the prologue to the script by science fiction writer Joe Haldeman, set in a snowscape where a heavy fog covers an apparent “elephants’ graveyard” of broken, battered robots, the fallen warriors of a robotic battlefield. Here and there among the shells, fires sputter near the latest casualties while a big, menacing robot stands over its victim.

“I thought it turned out very well,” said Allen of the test footage. “The style is quite different from anything else we did subsequently because it was all shot interior while everything else has been done exterior. It didn’t splice together perfectly because it depended upon live-action which hadn’t been shot.”

PRE-PRODUCTION Six months passed while Empire continued efforts to raise financing for the film while at the same time revising the effects complexities of the script to bring them in line with budget realities, mostly by simplifying the robot action. During these delays designer Altieri left the production to accept work as a full-time director at DIC Animation Studios.

Gordon said he brought Cobb into the project “to bring a real sense of believable technology to the robots, so they could be something an audience could accept as a reality as opposed to a cartoon show. Cobb designs things that could actually work,” said Gordon. “What we ended up with was a look that was different from the look of the Japanese toys. It’s very utilitarian and it looks big, like it has the power to do what it has to do.”

Cobb explained that when he was approached by Gordon to work on ROBOT JOX he was already committed to another project and could only work on weekends. “When I left, I told them they should make Steve Burg production designer or give him the clout of production designer because he was the only person that knew how the robots went together and was the only person that could police the construction,” said Cobb. “They just walked all over him. Eventually it was wrenched out of his hands. Everything went to pot when he left. The designs got really confused. The final shape and form of the film has obviously had problems, too.”

“I was most intrigued to design the cabs and how the interactive body motions were translated by waldos to the entire robot. I was trying to think of a reason for transformation. If it could translate into different modes of fighting, that might make sense. The idea really is silly, of course, but I wanted to keep it believable and then over and above it all, it’s humorous. It’s not a serious picture, and it isn’t meant to be.”

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Cobb was also asked to design robotic parts made of heavy-duty plastic (with metal armatures underneath) which special FX supervisor David Allen could reshape, using different models for different shots during the film’s major transformation sequences. Another Cobb-assisted movie is Stuart Gordon’s Robot Jox. “Again, that was in my conceptual design mode, so I basically opted to do all the key technology and moved on. Steve Burg was involved, and carried out many of my designs. We wanted a kind of non-Japanese version of a Transformer robot, which is very, very clever technologically speaking. We weren’t going to have them turn into semi-trucks or something, but we were going to have them break apart and operate in different functions and modes. I always liked the idea where the entire head became a little aircraft. I believe that has been changed-now the whole robot flies and changes.

According to Allen, Cobb came up with a new look for Achilles and Alexander, the main robojock pilots, their robots, and a few sets, including a gantry and silo. When the project encountered more delays, Cobb too, departed. “I suspect that payments to Ron started to flag,” said Allen. “There was sort of a painless transition. Ron left Steve Burg in charge to do the refinements and subsequent modifications.”

Steve Bury was brought in to assist Cobb with the robot detailing, since Cobb had a limited amount of time to devote to the project. “We were constantly referring to Ron’s drawings, and Steve continued to report back to Ron to show him what he was doing and to get Ron’s approval. As a matter of fact, Ron and Steve hit it off so well that they’ve worked together ever since.”

LIVE ACTION PHOTOGRAPHY Robot Jox began principal photography at Empire’s Rome facilities in January 1987, and wrapped in April. Gordon then turned over the post-production effects to Allen, who had selected El Mirage, a dry lake bed near the Mojave Desert, as the site for filming of the live-action robot skirmishes. (Some stop-motion work would be done at Allen’s Burbank studios; the live-action filming made use of the 5-foot, 50-pound cable-controlled models of Achilles and Alexander.)

“There wasn’t too much choice as far as shooting outdoors because Empire didn’t own a local stage we could work on,” Allen explained. “And even then it would have to have been huge; we would have had to hang and paint a cyclorama and then put tables out and light everything artificially. We would have been into a tremendous set rental situation over an extended period of time, which would have been a huge cash drain.”

El Mirage was chosen for its brilliant blue skies and unobstructed panorama, but the year of on-again, offagain shooting that transpired-Allen and his crew would make a total of three trips out to the desert location proved to be anything but smooth sailing. The weather was so temperamental Allen considered it a good day if he got two or three good shots in the can.

The heat wasn’t so bad, but as we were in a geothermally unstable area, we were at the mercy of the elements,” Allen said. “We had to contend daily with clouds, rain, dust storms and hellishly high winds-our outhouse got blown over constantly. Sometimes the dust was so bad you couldn’t see in front of you. When that happened, we’d go back to the motel or drive back to L.A. When it rained the lake bed would fill up and our cars were in danger of getting stuck.”

Numerous delays caused by the weather-and requests made by Gordon for additional effects-made location shooting more costly than Empire budgeted for. Still, Allen bristles at the suggestion that his unit work might have set the film back. The location shooting was probably more expensive than Empire expected, yeah. However the problem wasn’t that we were breaking the bank but that we weren’t getting money sent to us regularly enough. If by week four we didn’t have a check, we had to go back to L.A. Rain or shine I still had to put up 10 or 12 guys in a motel.”

David Allen

SPECIAL EFFECTS PHOTOGRAPHY With the designs set, the robots were finally transferred from the drawing table into three-dimensional models, constructed in two sizes: a stop motion size of about 20 inches tall and a larger cable-articulated miniature, closer to 50 inches high. Allen pointed out that the robot miniatures were particularly difficult to build because their joints had to be cosmetic as well as practical.“A robot doesn’t have implied’ joints like a foam rubber model,” said Allen. “It has actual working interstices: the hinges and swivels and all the hydraulics and the pistons have to be tracked. It isn’t like rubber that just mushes out of its own way. If you don’t design it right, the joints will all freeze up and lock. A robot can look good and be totally musclebound or joint bound.”

“The transformations sort of suffered due to the realities of the schedule and the budget,” said Burg. “The changes were generally not that extensive. The rocket mode, for example, had some wings pulled out and cockpits reoriented, but it was still recognizable as being the same thing, whereas with some of the TRANSFORMERS cartoons, it looks completely different. That would have been possible, but it would have taken an enormous amount of time to figure it out cleverly and would have taken a lot more resources to execute.”

Dennis Gordon, a long-time Allen associate, supervised the construction of the robot miniatures for Allen. Ron Thornton was brought in to head another construction team, and Mark Goldberg and Patrick Cox of the Local Motion Company were hired to build the cable-activated controls and armatures. Mark Rappaport built many of the robot’s weapons. Construction crews of up to twenty craftsmen worked for many months to complete the miniatures.

During this time, Allen was working full-time for ILM in San Rafael on BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED, a four month assignment he had accepted during one of the many production delays on ROBOT JOX. The ILM work stretched into a full year, keeping Allen away from his shop except for weekend visits to supervise the progress of building the ROBOT JOX miniatures. Allen compared overseeing the consortium of effects people at work to “managing D-Day.” During the weekend visits to his LA studio, Allen also completed stop-motion work for Gordon’s DOLLS.

Good actors are essential in selling special effects, making them seem believable, and Gordon said he felt that his cast was very good at “being able to create that sense of combat, one-on-one, which depends on the actors involved to be able to react with each other and play off of each other. The feeling that we were going for was something like ROCKY,” said Gordon. “There are real ups and downs in these battles and real emotional reactions to things that are going on. The robots are basically tools and weapons that are carrying out the war of these men.

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David Allen began post-production work on the carefully storyboarded robot battles, filming stop-motion at his studio and taking a crew out to a dry lake bed in El Mirage, near the Mojave desert, to film the large cable-activated robots live. Allen executed the stop-motion work with Paul Jessel, who animated the Achilles robot after Athena takes control.

Said Allen about working with Gordon, “Stuart is a person who showed himself to be quite decided about things, but he doesn’t dig in his heels. He accepts realities when .he’s satisfied that what he wants is impractical or not possible. I had a pretty free hand considering what I imagine Stuart is like on a set where he would usually be expecting to control his movies—that’s what any director expects to do. He was pretty good about letting us work in a loose kind of way. Of course, the [story]boards are very important. I don’t deviate from them too much unless I have to or I feel I can improve them or in some cases I just feel they are not very filmic. My changes have usually been appreciated rather than resented. I think we have a good relationship compared to the horror stories I often hear about with other directors.”

“Conceptually, filming there was a wonderful idea but, in reality, it turned into a huge ordeal for Dave’s crew because they were shooting out there for almost a year, completely at the mercy of the desert. When they came back, they all looked like Lawrence of Arabia.”

Additional robot weaponry includes cannons, machine guns and a Smart missile, on which is mounted a video camera for point of-view shots. For hand-to-hand combat, there are saws, drills and a magnesium flare which can suddenly blind an opponent.

But, says Gordon, “the human story must be the center of it all. No matter how great your FX are, if the audience doesn’t care about the people, then there’s no movie. That’s why I was drawn to the story of Achilles, the warrior who doesn’t want to fight anymore but is forced back into it because of his lover’s death. That’s the center of ours as well, though we’ve put it into science-fiction terms.”

Along with some stop-motion FX added later, Allen and his crew shot on location in the Mojave Desert utilizing large models for these mechanical effects; others were used for pyrotechnic explosions, while some doubled as “stunt robots” for shots in which they couldn’t destroy their carefully detailed models.

“By shooting in Death Valley, David was able to do extensive foreground miniature work, as opposed to doing it optically in post-production,” explains the director. “So most of the effects work was done in the camera, which gives it a very realistic, seamless look, because you’re seeing real mountains, sky and sunlight behind these robots.” This technique also offered the filmmakers a tremendous depth of field, keeping both the foreground and background in focus.

The live location shooting of the big miniature robots at El Mirage proved to be the biggest headache for Allen. When the location work cost Empire more than expected, Allen’s crew had to pack up and leave until more funds became available. All in all, Allen and his crew made three extended trips out into the desert. “I think if you took all the periods and added them up, we were out there for at least six or seven months,” said Allen. “That’s a long time to have a second unit crew on location. We made a very large commitment to that decision. It was a decision dictated by my recommendation, but also by practicalities.” The alternative would have been to shoot in an enormous warehouse or hanger with cycloramas, which would have been an even more expensive proposition for Empire, according to Allen.

“It takes a certain daring to shoot outdoors,” said Allen about the decision. “That’s why movies were made indoors for thirty years, because of the pressures of the industry to force predictability and control on the product. There were a lot of problems in El Mirage. We underestimated those problems.”

According to Gordon, one of the reasons the effects are taking so long is that Allen is shooting in sunlight out in the desert to incorporate real mountains and skies as a backdrop. The vastness of the desert is being used to combine the miniature robots with vast cheering throngs of spectators by shooting the cable-controlled models up close with a stadium set far in the background.

Allen is also shooting background plates for stop-motion work to be completed at his own studio. “I think the effects are really going to blow people’s minds,” said Gordon. “Although this is Empire’s largest budget, anyone else attempting this picture would want to budget three times as much.”

Gordon also pegged the film’s delay to the time-consuming special effects techniques being used to bring the story’s giant, transforming, fighting robots to life. The work, supervised by Oscar nominee David Allen, is said to be spectacular by those who viewed a product reel of footage shown by Empire at the American Film Market earlier this year. To realize the film’s complex effects action inexpensively, Allen wedded today’s sophisticated puppet technology to the low-budget effects techniques used by Howard and Theodore Lydecker on the Republic serials of the ’40s, filming the robots live against real backdrops.

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“It’s an approach that I don’t think anyone would attempt unless they were looking at this as we were—from a very low budget,” said Gordon about reviving the Lydecker approach. “Rather than light a miniature on a stage, they would take the miniature outdoors and light it with sunlight, using real sky and real clouds. It gives the miniature work greater realism. The effect is seamless because it is done in the camera.”

Gordon thinks audiences will be able to notice the difference from the blue screen optical compositing techniques that have become commonplace in effects films. “I think audiences are starting to get wise to those techniques and are able to spot them and know exactly what you’re doing,” he said. “By going back to these older techniques, our effects have a freshness about them.”

Allen and his crew spent over a year in the desert shooting the film’s robot scenes using natural sunlight, painstakingly matching the variable lighting conditions for sequences filmed over a prolonged period of time. At the mercy of the elements, the crew endured wind, rain and sandstorms which often made the shooting a waiting game. Beside the weather, the financial climate at Empire resulted in its own delays. “At one point they had to shut down production and pull Allen and his crew out of the desert until the cash flow improved,” said Gordon.

Allen accomplished most of the scenes of robot warfare live, using cable-controlled models, although stop-motion is used for some scenes. He has a second set of robots that are in a smaller scale which he uses for stop-motion,” said Gordon. “When he’s not able to get the large ones to do it, he uses stop-motion. One of the things that I am amazed at is that he’s able to meld the two in terms of being able to go from a stop motion shot to a puppeted shot. I don’t think the audience will be able to tell the difference in most of the cases. It’s a wonderful blend.”

Allen was pleased with the realism provided by the natural lighting and backdrops, but using a natural sky meant that the sky was always changing, making it sometimes difficult to match shots. And the sky at El Mirage was like Mark Twain’s comment about the Hawaiian Islands: “If you don’t like the weather, wait a few minutes and it’ll change.” Noted Allen dryly, the weather almost always seemed to get worse on any given day rather than better.

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Allen’s right-hand man on the shoot was associate effects director Paul Gentry. Ray Goode served as effects crew foreman and pryotechnician Joe Viskocil handled the fire and explosions. Winds proved especially bedeviling for the numerous shots requiring pyro effects, blowing the fire and smoke hysterically, giving away the small scale of the miniatures. The wind also blew sand off the elevated tables that the miniatures were filmed on and into the faces of the cable operators and camera crew. The difficult shoot was exhausting to everyone on the crew. Seemingly simple sequences would take hours to get on film because the process by which the robots were manipulated had to be hidden and their movements painstakingly detailed and adjusted. But Allen is very pleased with the results that were achieved.

“A major studio could not have afforded to put up a second unit working in the conditions under which we produced these shots,” said Allen. “A lot of days we simply couldn’t do anything and had to sit it out. It would be ruinously expensive to work that way for a major studio. For them, it would have been cheaper to work indoors. But for Empire it would have been much more expensive because they were not committed to the union way of doing things. To put a second unit out under those conditions, you would have to have a lunch wagon and a guard and all the facilities and amenities. We had my old R.V. and we were like a bunch of ragtag Eagle Scouters practically.”

Looking back on the years of work on ROBOT JOX, Allen remembered with some irony his first conversation with Empire chief Charles Band about ROBOT JOX, indicating the naivete with which Empire entered into the complex effects project.

Joe Haldeman

Interview with screenwriter Joe Haldeman What kind of working relationship did you have with Stuart Gordon? Joe Haldeman: I enjoy working with Stuart because he’s one of the best administrators I’ve ever seen in the arts. He and I had many pretty good-natured arguments over what the movie was going to be about, and about what science fiction was supposed to do. He usually won, being the director. We identified the problem without actually solving it-I was trying to make an adult movie that children would enjoy, and he was trying to make a children’s movie that adults would enjoy. Those are two really different kinds of movies, and I guess we never did resolve them.

How did you get involved? Joe Haldeman: Stuart called me. He’d had two successes with From Beyond and ReAnimator, and the producer gave him more or less carte blanche. He wanted to do a hard SF movie, so he called me up and he said, “I don’t have much money, but how would you like to write a movie that actually gets made?”

And I said, “Yeah!” So, he said, “What I want to do is a science-fiction version of The Iliad.” I said, “Great,” and he said, “I’ll send you a couple-page outline.” So, I get this outline, it’s pretty much like The Iliad, except it has a love interest, and people walk around in great big robots. I worked up a proposal to pitch it to the producers. They sent us out to Los Angeles and I pitched it, and they bought it. I wrote it and rewrote it-all six drafts of it.

Did you meet with the actors? Joe Haldeman: Yeah, I loved the actors. That happened because I did six drafts, and then another draft written by somebody else came in the mail. It was just awful! I wrote Stuart a long letter detailing why he shouldn’t use that script. I didn’t hear from him for months, and I thought, “Well, that’s it.” Then, they called me in December and said, “We read your criticism, you’re completely right and we want you to write the final version. Can you be in Rome tomorrow?” You can imagine how weird that was. I said, “It’s nearly Christmas, I can’t come to Rome tomorrow. Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve got a family.” I said I would be in Rome by the first week of the New Year. They said, “OK.”

They put us up in a really grand hotel on the Via Veneto in Rome. I sat there with my little manual typewriter and rewrote the script word-for-word. It was a whole new script because I got to talk to the actors, the male and female leads. We hashed out the main characters together so that they were comfortable with them. I would get up about 2:00 a.m. and write until 7:00, when the actors were going out. I would go down and copy the pages for them, and they would get in the limo and go out to the studio to act ’em out. It was a really vibrant and exciting way to live. When you’re going through something like that, you realize, “God, this is changing my life forever!” I really loved working on that project, loved being a team player rather than being the only guy responsible for the whole product.

I’m eternally grateful to Stuart for choosing me for that. He could have chosen many people who are more tractable. I think he got a good movie out of it. You can’t tell until all the various elements come together. We got good actors, we got one hell of a good writer (Smiles), we got one of the best directors around.

And the special FX? Joe Haldeman: The special FX were great. They took us out to the studios at the largest soundstages in Europe. The story involved robots 500 feet high, and they had actually build one up to the knees inside of that huge soundstage. I don’t know what I had expected, but there were futuristic automobiles, and the interiors of futuristic homes, military training stuff. I walked into the wardrobe room, and there were 200 costumes that were made for people who before had only inhabited a universe in my mind. All of this stuff, millions of dollars and hundreds of people working thousands of hours, were all there to make solid the things that I just imagined the way I imagined a novel. That was a mind-blower! It should only happen to every science-fiction writer.

Robot Jox (1989) Frédéric Talgorn Frédéric Talgorn, who had previously composed the music for the 1989 horror film Edge of Sanity, wrote the orchestral film score for Robot Jox, which was performed by the Paris Philharmonic Orchestra. Since Prometheus Records reissued the soundtrack in 1993, it has received generally high acclaim. An editorial review by Filmtracks.com stated that “Talgorn’s usual strong development of thematic ideas is well utilized in rather simplistic fashion in this film, perfect for the contrasting characters and their underdeveloped dimensions.”

CAST/CREW Directed Stuart Gordon

Produced Charles Band

Screenplay Joe Haldeman

Story Stuart Gordon

Music Frédéric Talgorn

Gary Graham – Achilles Anne-Marie Johnson – Athena Paul Koslo – Alexander Robert Sampson – Commissioner Jameson [sic] Danny Kamekona – Dr. “Doc” Matsumoto Hilary Mason – Professor Laplace Michael Alldredge – Tex Conway Jeffrey Combs – Spectator/Prole #1

CREDITS/REFERENCES/SOURCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY Cinefantastique v17n01 Cinefantastique v18n04 Cinefantastique v19n01-02 Horrorfan#02 Starlog#145 Starlog#158

Robot Jox (1989) Retrospective SUMMARY Fifty years after a nuclear holocaust, mankind is decimated and the surviving nations—the western-influenced Market and the Russian-influenced Confederation—have agreed to outlaw traditional open war.

[historybehindassassinscreed]

In Game:

Alexander Graham Bell was a Scottish-born scientist, inventor, engineer, and innovator who was credited with inventing the first practical telephone. He was on friendly terms with Henry Green, who nicknamed him, "Aleck".

In 1868, Green introduced the twin Assassins Jacob and Evie Frye to Bell, who brought to him a broken grappling hook pistol acquired from Rexford Kaylock. Bell modified the mechanism so it could be attached to the Assassin Gauntlet as a rope launcher. In return, Evie volunteered to assist Bell in mending broken fuses atop the Elizabeth Tower for the telegraph line being set up against the Starrick Telegraph Company. While traveling to the Palace of Westminster, she also suggested to Bell that the phonetic telegraph he desired to invent could be renamed as the telephone. After the new fuses were installed, Bell created a formula for smoke bombs to be used by the Assassins. Returning to his workshop, Bell showed Jacob the first messages of his invention and was able to procure a second rope launcher for him.

Much later, Bell installed a dart mechanism in Jacob and Evie's gauntlets, allowing them to fire darts containing a hallucinogenic serum, which would turn into gas form upon contact with heat. The twins further assisted him by recovering cable lines taken by the Blighters in the College Wharf and informed him of a poison shipment from Starrick.

Starrick then offered Bell a huge amount of money to coax him to his side. Bell inadvertently refused; aware of what the Blighters were capable of, he created voltaic bombs, should he use it to stun assailants if the need arose. He offered prototypes and protective insulators to the Frye twins, hoping that they would test it for him to get the right formula. The opportunity came as the infuriated Blighters arrived. As Bell delayed the enemy gang with his talk, the twins tested the voltaic bombs on them.

Together with the twins, they headed to the telegraph station to prevent Starrick from spreading false information to the city and show them the truth regarding the Templars' operations. Bell destroyed three telegraph machines to cripple Starrick's plans.

In Real Life:

Alexander Graham Bell was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on March 3rd, 1847 to  Professor Alexander Melville Bell, a phonetician Eliza Grace (née Symonds). He had two brothers: Melville James Bell  and Edward Charles Bell, both of whom would die of tuberculosis.

As a child, Bell displayed a natural curiosity about his world, resulting in gathering botanical specimens as well as experimenting even at an early age. He also showed a sensitive nature and a talent for art, poetry, and music that was encouraged by his mother. His best friend was Ben Herdman, a neighbor whose family operated a flour mill, the scene of many forays. Young Bell asked what needed to be done at the mill. He was told wheat had to be dehusked through a laborious process and at the age of 12, Bell built a homemade device that combined rotating paddles with sets of nail brushes, creating a simple dehusking machine that was put into operation and used steadily for a number of years. In return, Ben's father John Herdman gave both boys the run of a small workshop in which to "invent".

As a young child, Bell, like his brothers, received his early schooling at home from his father. At an early age, he was enrolled at the Royal High School, Edinburgh, Scotland, which he left at the age of 15, having completed only the first four forms. His school record was undistinguished, marked by absenteeism and lackluster grades. His main interest remained in the sciences, especially biology.  He attended the University of Edinburgh around age eighteen or nineteen; joining his older brother Melville who had enrolled there the previous year. In 1868, not long before he departed for Canada with his family, Bell completed his matriculation exams and was accepted for admission to University College London.

(Image Source)

It was around this time that he started to experiment with sound, particularly with speech. He helped his father in Visible Speech demonstrations and lectures, which brought Bell to Susanna E. Hull's private school for the deaf in South Kensington, London. His first two pupils were deaf-mute girls who made remarkable progress under his tutelage.

After the death of one of his brothers, the Bell family moved to Canada, where he set up a workshop and continued his experiments with sound and electricity.  He also modified a melodeon (a type of pump organ) so that it could transmit its music electrically over a distance.

Bell's father was invited by Sarah Fuller, principal of the Boston School for Deaf Mutes (which continues today as the public Horace Mann School for the Deaf), in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, to introduce the Visible Speech System by providing training for Fuller's instructors, but he declined the post in favor of his son. Travelling to Boston in April 1871, Bell proved successful in training the school's instructors. He was subsequently asked to repeat the program at the American Asylum for Deaf-mutes in Hartford, Connecticut, and the Clarke School for the Deaf in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Several influential people of the time, including Bell, viewed deafness as something that should be eradicated, and also believed that with resources and effort, they could teach the deaf to speak and avoid the use of sign language, thus enabling their integration within the wider society from which many were often being excluded. Owing to his efforts to suppress the teaching of sign language, Bell is often viewed negatively by those embracing Deaf culture.

Bell became professor of Vocal Physiology and Elocution at the Boston University School of Oratory. During this period, he alternated between Boston and Brantford, spending summers in his Canadian home. At Boston University, Bell was "swept up" by the excitement engendered by the many scientists and inventors residing in the city. He continued his research in sound and endeavored to find a way to transmit musical notes and articulate speech, but although absorbed by his experiments, he found it difficult to devote enough time to experimentation. Deciding to give up his lucrative private Boston practice, Bell retained only two students, six-year-old "Georgie" Sanders, deaf from birth, and 15-year-old Mabel Hubbard.

By 1874, Bell's initial work on the harmonic telegraph had entered a formative stage, with progress made both at his new Boston "laboratory" (a rented facility) and at his family home in Canada a big success. While working that summer in Brantford, Bell experimented with a "phonautograph", a pen-like machine that could draw shapes of sound waves on smoked glass by tracing their vibrations. Bell thought it might be possible to generate undulating electrical currents that corresponded to sound waves.

In 1875, Bell developed an acoustic telegraph and drew up a patent application for it. Since he had agreed to share U.S. profits with his investors Gardiner Hubbard and Thomas Sanders, Bell requested that an associate in Ontario, George Brown, attempt to patent it in Britain, instructing his lawyers to apply for a patent in the U.S. only after they received word from Britain (Britain would issue patents only for discoveries not previously patented elsewhere).

Meanwhile, Elisha Gray was also experimenting with acoustic telegraphy and thought of a way to transmit speech using a water transmitter. On February 14, 1876, Gray filed a caveat with the U.S. Patent Office for a telephone design that used a water transmitter. That same morning, Bell's lawyer filed Bell's application with the patent office. There is considerable debate about who arrived first and Gray later challenged the primacy of Bell's patent. Bell was in Boston on February 14th and did not arrive in Washington until February 26th.

Bell's patent 174,465, was issued to Bell on March 7, 1876, by the U.S. Patent Office. Bell returned to Boston the same day and the next day resumed work, drawing in his notebook a diagram similar to that in Gray's patent caveat.

On March 10th, 1876, three days after his patent was issued, Bell succeeded in getting his telephone to work, using a liquid transmitter similar to Gray's design. Vibration of the diaphragm caused a needle to vibrate in the water, varying the electrical resistance in the circuit.

(Image Source)

Although Bell was, and still is, accused of stealing the telephone from Gray, Bell used Gray's water transmitter design only after Bell's patent had been granted, and only as a proof of concept scientific experiment, to prove to his own satisfaction that intelligible "articulate speech" (Bell's words) could be electrically transmitted. After March 1876, Bell focused on improving the electromagnetic telephone and never used Gray's liquid transmitter in public demonstrations or commercial use.

After the invention of the telephone, Bell also invented the photophone (which he believed to be his greatest achievement), an early version of a metal detector, and made contributions to hydrofoils and aeronautics.

Bell died of complications arising from diabetes on August 2nd, 1922, at his private estate in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, at age 75. He was buried atop Beinn Bhreagh mountain, on his estate where he had resided increasingly for the last 35 years of his life, overlooking Bras d'Or Lake. He was survived by his wife Mabel (his former student), his two daughters, Elsie May and Marian, and nine of his grandchildren.

Sources:

http://www.pbs.org/transistor/album1/addlbios/bellag.html

https://www.biography.com/people/alexander-graham-bell-9205497

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexander-Graham-Bell

http://www.history.com/topics/inventions/alexander-graham-bell

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/handbook-of-social-justice-in-education-william-ayers/1101520561/2677219688381?st=PLA&sid=BNB_DRS_Marketplace+Shopping+Textbooks_00000000&2sid=Google_&sourceId=PLGoP20452&k_clickid=3x20452

Drunk History, if you can believe it ;)

[marcusssanderson]

50 Condolences Quotes and Messages that Celebrate Life

The condolences quotes and messages below will help you convey sympathy and offer support to the bereaved.

The death of a loved one is one of the most painful experiences in life. Losing the people who have been part of our lives and who matter to us leaves us with nothing but sorrow and sadness.

When death occurs, we want to offer our condolences to those left behind to help them cope and move forward. Expressing condolences is a thoughtful way to convey sympathy and offer support. It is also a way to show honor and to respect the memory of the departed.

That said, finding the proper way to express your emotions can be difficult. It’s never easy finding the right words to convey your sentiments in a meaningful way.

When you’re at a loss for words, you can use condolences quotes and messages to let your friend or family member know that they can count on you.

To give you a bit of inspiration, below you will find our collection of uplifting, sympathetic, and heartfelt condolences quotes, condolences messages, and condolences phrases, collected from a variety of sources over the years.

Condolences quotes and messages that celebrate life

1.) ”While we are mourning the loss of our friend, others are rejoicing to meet him behind the veil.” – John Taylor

2.) ”He spoke well who said that graves are the footprints of angels.” – Henry Longfellow

3.) ”Some people come into our lives, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same.” – Unknown

4.) ”Earth hath no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal.” – Thomas Moo

5.) ”Like a bird singing in the rain, let grateful memories survive in time of sorrow.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

6.) ”Whoever you hold in the heart of you, is forever and always a part of you.” – Rossiter Raymond

7.) ”Tears are God’s gift to us. Our holy water. They heal us as they flow.” – Rita Schiano

8.) ”Had I not loved so much I would not hurt so much. I will hurt. And I will be grateful for that hurt for it bears witness to the depth of our meaning. And for that I will be eternally grateful.” – Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

9.) ”Truly, it is in darkness that one finds the light, so when we are in sorrow, then this light is nearest of all to us.” – Meister Eckhart

10.) ”No matter how prepared you think you are for the death of a loved one, it still comes as a shock, and it still hurts very deeply.” – Billy Graham

Condolences quotes and messages to help you convey your sympathy

11.) ”For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity.” – William Penn

12.) ”There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart.” –  Mahatma Gandhi

13.) ”The darker the night, the brighter the stars, the deeper the grief, the closer is God!“ – Fyodor Dostoyevsk

14.) ”Don’t be ashamed to weep; ’tis right to grieve. Tears are only water, and flowers, trees, and fruit cannot grow without water. But there must be sunlight also. A wounded heart will heal in time, and when it does, the memory and love of our lost ones are sealed inside to comfort us.“ – Brian Jacques

15.) ”Your absence has gone through me like thread through a needle. Everything I do is stitched with its color.“ – W.S. Merwin

16.) ”I know for certain that we never lose the people we love, even to death. They continue to participate in every act, thought and decision we make. Their love leaves an indelible imprint in our memories. We find comfort in knowing that our lives have been enriched by having shared their love.” – Leo Buscaglia

17.) ”Say not in grief ‘he is no more’ but in thankfulness that he was.” – Hebrew Proverb

18.) ”A great soul serves everyone all the time. A great soul never dies. It brings us together again and again.” – Maya Angelou

19.) ”After a loved one passes, be encouraged by their passing and legacy. Instead of crying, live an inspired, spiritual and happy life like they did when they were here. Live each day with encouragement knowing that they are proud and smiling down on you from Heaven” – Matt Fraser

20.) ”When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.” – Kahlil Gibran

Condolences quotes and messages to help you express your sentiments

21.) ”We should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression.” – Confucius

22.) ”You don’t get over it, you just get through it. You don’t get by it, because you can’t get around it. It doesn’t ‘get better’; it just gets different. Everyday grief puts on a new face.” – Wendy Feireisen

23.) ”My [mom/nana] is a never-ending song in my heart of comfort, happiness, and being.  I may sometimes forget the words, but I always remember the tune.” – Graycie Harmon

24.) ”So say it loud and let it ring.  We are all part of everything. The future, present, and the past.  Fly on proud bird. You’re free at last.” – Charlie Daniels

25.) ”When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure. “ – Unknown

26.) ”Grief is the price we pay for love.” – Queen Elizabeth II

27.) ”Because God is never cruel, there is a reason for all things. […] The terrible pain of loss teaches humility to our prideful kind, has the power to soften uncaring hearts, to make a better person of a good one.“ – Dean Koontz

28.) ”If we never experience the chill of a dark winter, it is very unlikely that we will ever cherish the warmth of a bright summer’s day. Nothing stimulates our appetite for the simple joys of life more than the starvation caused by sadness or desperation. In order to complete our amazing life journey successfully, it is vital that we turn each and every dark tear into a pearl of wisdom, and find the blessing in every curse.“ – Anthon St. Maarten

29.) ”Deep grief sometimes is almost like a specific location, a coordinate on a map of time. When you are standing in that forest of sorrow, you cannot imagine that you could ever find your way to a better place. But if someone can assure you that they themselves have stood in that same place, and now have moved on, sometimes this will bring hope.“ – Elizabeth Gilbert

30.) ”Listen to God with a broken heart. He is not only the doctor who mends it but also the father who wipes away the tears.” – Criss Jami

Condolences quotes to help you find the right words to express your sympathy

31.)” To lose someone you love is to alter your life forever. You don’t get over it because ‘it’ is the person you loved. The pain stops, there are new people, but the gap never closes. How could it? […] This hole in my heart is in the shape of you and no-one else can fit it.“ – Jeanette Winterson

32.)” Mostly it is loss which teaches us about the worth of things.“ – Arthur Schopenhauer

33.)” We are all the pieces of what we remember. We hold in ourselves the hopes and fears of those who love us. As long as there is love and memory, there is no true loss.“ – Cassandra Clare

34.)” Learn to see the gift in the adversity. By doing this you will begin to find true peace in your struggle.“ – Stacey Urrutia

35.)” There is something terribly morbid in the modern sympathy with pain. One should sympathise with the colour, the beauty, the joy of life. The less said about life’s sores the better.” – Oscar Wilde

36.)” That though the radiance which was once so bright be now forever taken from my sight. Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendour in the grass, glory in the flower. We will grieve not; rather find strength in what remains behind.” – William Wordsworth

37.) ”We must embrace our pain and burn it as a fuel for our journey.” – Kenji Miyazawa

38.)” No person is ever truly alone. Those who live no more, whom we loved, Echo still within our thoughts, our words, our hearts”.  – Richard Fife

39.) ”The season of mourning, Like spring, summer, Fall and winter, will also pass.”- Molly Fumia

40.) ”A human life is a story told by God.” – Hans Christian Andersen

More condolences quotes to uplift the bereaved

41.) ”However long the night, the dawn will break.” – African Proverb

42.) ”I know now that we never get over great losses; we absorb them, and they carve us into different, often kinder, creatures.“ – Gail Caldwell

43.) ”Ten long trips around the sun since I last saw that smile, but only joy and thankfulness that on a tiny world in the vastness, for a couple of moments in the immensity of time, we were one.“ – Ann Druyan

44.) ”As a well spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well spent brings happy death.” – Leonardo Da Vinci

45.) ”Pain is certain, suffering is optional.” – Buddha

46.) ”What is lovely never dies, But passes into other loveliness.” – Thomas Bailey Aldrich

47.) ”The Remembrance of the good done those we have loved is the only consolation when we have lost them.” – Demoustier

48.) ”It is the will of God and Nature that these mortal bodies be laid aside, when the soul is to enter into real life; ’tis rather an embryo state, a preparation for living; a man is not completely born until he be dead: Why then should we grieve that a new child is born among the immortals?” – Benjamin Franklin

49.) ”Bear and endure: This sorrow will one day prove to be for your good.” – Ovid

50.) ”How very softly you tiptoed into our world, almost silently, only a moment you stayed. But what an imprint your footsteps have left upon our hearts.” – Dorothy Ferguson

Which of these condolences quotes was your favorite?

When someone close to us experiences the loss of a loved one, it’s upon us to comfort them and help them feel better. To help them know that they can count on our support during such difficult times.

It’s never easy when a loved one endures a difficult time period or the loss of a loved one. Hopefully, the above quotes and messages will provide a bit of inspiration and help you express your sympathy and offer support.

Which of the condolences quotes above was your favorite? Do you have any other quotes and messages to add to the list? Let us know in the comment section below.

The post 50 Condolences Quotes and Messages that Celebrate Life appeared first on Everyday Power Blog.

[jenmedsbookreviews]

Yes folks. Like a large proportion of the country I got snowed in on Sunday. Yippee. At least for Sunday as I could stay snuggled under a blanket reading. Less yippee if this is what I am faced with trying to get to work on Monday … by the time you read this I’ll either have made it or not. We shall see.

Better week this week. Dragged myself down to London on Monday and attended the final First Monday Crime panel of the year which was a fun and moderately festive affair. So great hear from the panel of Louise Jensen, Mel McGrath, Susi Holliday and Chris Whitaker alongside chair Claire McGowan. This was followed by some top (?) crime writers pitching their slightly unusual story ideas to the audience. It was … an experience. I’m hoping none make it into print …

It was great to be able to get to the pub afterward and catch up with a few bookish folk including Jacob, Victoria, Joy, Amer, Tracy, Gabriela, Alex, Keshini, Roz, Vaseem, Linda, Katherine, Graham, Susi and Mel, as well as Mr Whitaker who was handing out hugs left right and centre. I’m sure I’ve probably missed scores of folk for which I apologise but it was a very busy night and I had to leave in a rush to catch my train or I’d be stranded in London all night. It was a bit like Cinderella only older, fatter, no fairy support and I managed to keep hold of both of my shoes …

I did pick up a couple of books on the day. One was a purchase from Waterstones, a signed copy of Robert Bryndza’s The Girl In The Ice. Seemed rude not to as I was in London. I also couldn’t resist grabbing a copy of All The Wicked Girls while I was at the panel and forcing Mr W to sign it. Cause, ya know, he’s so backward in coming forward … 😉

Book post wise this was an epic week. First up my two outstanding purchases from Goldsboro turn up. Yay. They were the CWA Anthology (Signed) and my signed copy of Whiteout by Ragnar Jonasson. I’m even quoteed in Whiteout so this is a super smiley book for me. On top of these I received arcs of Games with the Dead by James Nally; The Chalk Man by CJ Tudor;  Fault Lines by Doug Johnstone; Blue Night by Simone Buccholz; and Kiss Me, Kill Me by James Carol.

E-book wise I was sent a new novella from Julia Roberts, Christmas at Carol’s which I’ll be reviewing this week.

I also got a couple of books on Netgalley – Let Me Lie by Clare Mackintosh and We Own The Sky by Luke Allnut.

Not a bad bookhaul of a week I guess. Reading wise I finished two books and two novellas so I’ll take that.

Books I have Read

My Sweet Friend by H.A. Leuschel

A stand-alone novella from the author of Manipulated Lives

A perfect friend … or a perfect impostor?

Alexa is an energetic and charismatic professional and the new member of a Parisian PR company where she quickly befriends her colleagues Rosie and Jack. She brings a much-needed breath of fresh air into the office and ambitiously throws herself into her new job and friendships. 

But is Alexa all she claims to be? 

As her life intertwines with Rosie and Jack’s, they must all decide what separates truth from fiction. Will the stories that unfold unite or divide them? Can first impressions ever be trusted?

In this original novella, H.A. Leuschel evokes the powerful hold of appearances and what a person is prepared to do to keep up the facade. If you like thought-provoking and compelling reads with intriguing characters, My Sweet Friend is for you.

A really interesting and quick read, this book looks at the power of friendship and what happens when one of a pair uses manipulation to get what they want from life. I don’t want to give away too much more about the book as it’s only around 100 pages, but you can read my full review here and buy the book here 

…

A Game Of Ghosts by John Connolly

It is deep winter. The darkness is unending.

The private detective named Jaycob Eklund has vanished, and Charlie Parker is dispatched to track him down. Parker’s employer, Edgar Ross, an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, has his own reasons for wanting Eklund found.

Eklund is no ordinary investigator. He is obsessively tracking a series of homicides and disappearances, each linked to reports of hauntings. Now Parker will be drawn into Eklund’s world, a realm in which the monstrous Mother rules a crumbling criminal empire, in which men strike bargains with angels, and in which the innocent and guilty alike are pawns in a game of ghosts . . .

Finally!!! I am a very bad blogger. Should have read this months and months and moths ago but I never quite made it. Would never have forgiven myself if it had come to year end and it was still outstanding. Charlie Parker back at it;s thrilling and supernatural best this has a wonderful blend of the brilliant storyline and also emotional moments which make me very very happy. My review will be posted this week but you can buy a copy of the book here.

…

Christmas at Carol’s by Julia Roberts

An uplifting tale of people’s desire to help each other in the season of goodwill – a romantic comedy with a twist in the tale.

Carol fell in love with Wisteria Cottage the moment she laid eyes on it and moved in two weeks before Christmas hoping it would be start of a new more positive period in her life. 

On her first night in her new home she discovers an old Christmas card to someone called Annie with a heart-breaking message inside from Jake. 

Although she doesn’t know them, and despite being on a self-imposed dating break herself, Carol begins planning how she can bring them together, while her new neighbour, Sally, is attempting a bit of matchmaking of her own. 

What a wonderfully uplifting novella. Very festive and very romantic I’ll be sharing my thoughts with everyone later this week. This is the perfect story of family, friendships, love lost and love found, just set to get you in the mood for Christmas. You can pre-order a copy of the book here.

…

Foul Trade by B.K.Duncan

It is March 1920. May Keaps, the Poplar Coroner’s Officer, has never failed to provide a jury with sufficient evidence to arrive at a just verdict.

The poverty, drunken fights between visiting sailors, drug trafficking, and criminal gangs, haunting the shadows of the busiest docks in the world, mean that the Coroner sees more than its fair share of sudden and unnatural deaths.

May relishes the responsibility placed upon her but there are many who believe it’s an unsuitable job for a woman. Even May begins to wonder if that is the case when the discovery of a young man’s body, in a Limehouse alley, plunges her into an underworld of opium dens, gambling, turf wars, protection rackets and murder.

As her investigations draw her into danger, it becomes increasingly clear that whoever is responsible intends to avoid the hangman’s noose by arranging to have May laid out on one of her own mortuary slabs. 

I read the prequel novella for this series a few weeks ago and I knew then that May Keaps was going to be quite an intrepid kind of gal. I wasn’t wrong. An intriguing mystery led by May who works as a Coroner’s Officer, she is quite relentless in her pursuit of the truth and a key example of an early version of girl power. My review will be up tomorrow and you can order your own copy of the book right here.

…

That was it reading wise, and to be fair I’ve not been much busier on the blog with a handful of reviews and a lot of #bookvent.

The #Bookvent Calendar 2017: Day 4

The #Bookvent Calendar 2017: Day 5

The #Bookvent Calendar 2017: Day 6

The #Bookvent Calendar 2017: Day 7

#BlogTour: Anything for Her by G.J. Minett

The #Bookvent Calendar 2017: Day 8

Review: My Sweet Friend by H.A. Leuschel

The #Bookvent Calendar 2017: Day 9

The #Bookvent Calendar 2017: Day 10

Review: Dark Skies by LJ Ross @LJRoss_author

The week ahead is equally laid back I’ve blog tour reviews today for Carol Wyer’s The Silent Children, and tomorrow for Angelina Kerner’s Follow The Snowflakes and BK Duncan’s Foul Trade, plus Rachel Sargeant’s The Perfect Neighbours this weekend. Alongside that will be the next seven days in my #bookvent countdown.

Hope you all have a warm and book filled week. I’m off to Dublin again on Wednesday for the final time this year so plenty of reading time for me. See you next time.

Jen

          Rewind, Recap: Weekly Update w/e 10/12/17 Yes folks. Like a large proportion of the country I got snowed in on Sunday. Yippee. At least for Sunday as I could stay snuggled under a blanket reading.

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Forgiving Those Who Have Hurt Us Most...

Forgiving Those Who Have Hurt Us Most :: By Geri Ungurean Published on:

September 12, 2017

As a writer, there are times when I feel strongly that the Lord wants me to open my life to my readers. Sometimes it is quite painful, but I feel that if my writing helps even one person – it is certainly well worth it.

My early life

I have said in other articles, that I can remember being melancholy at a very young age.  I remember feeling so alone. My dad was verbally abusive to me. I would laugh when he called me names, but I remember the hurt which I learned to hide well.

Beauty was everything in my family.  My mother was glamorous. My older sisters were stunningly beautiful.  Me?  I had unruly and extremely curly hair; I had buck teeth before I got my braces, and I was stick thin.  I was not a pretty or even cute little girl, and I knew it.  My dad would call me Bucky beaver and spaghetti head and other hurtful names. I wanted him to love me, so I would laugh, but I was dying inside.

My oldest sister

She was 7 years older than me, and got pregnant at 16 years old. She left our home – I was so young. I guess I never really knew her. Little did I know that the Lord would bring us together in a beautiful relationship much later in life.  I will refer to my oldest sister as (S).

My second to the oldest sister

From as far back as I can remember, this sister was cruel to me. I am not talking about normal sibling rivalry. She delighted in being cruel and torturous to me.  She was my father’s favorite child – we all knew it.   She would never talk to me, even to answer a question I asked of her. She even told me that I was adopted. She said that I could look in the mirror and see that I was not related to our family. I believed this for about 7 years until I found my Birth Certificate. I will refer to this sister as (J).

Watching friends who were “Daddy’s” girls

Nothing made me more sad than watching my friends who had dads who hugged them; who treated them like princesses.  I dreamed of this.

All I could do was dream.

My teen years

To say I rebelled would be a gross understatement.  I hung out with the wrong crowd; I self medicated with street drugs – anything to numb my brain. It’s like all of the anger and hurt that had built up inside of me, just exploded when I reached my teen years.  I became very suicidal.  I became a “cutter.”

When Mom and Dad retired to Florida

I was devastated when my parents decided to retire to Florida. It wasn’t because I was close with them. Perhaps them moving away – the finality of it – and I had not succeeded in making dad love me.

I was a believer at the time they moved. I was married with kids. I felt a burden for my dad. I felt that the Lord wanted me to write to him about Yeshua. I wanted dad to understand why I believed.  This had to be the Lord. It certainly wasn’t my own idea.  In my mind, I would have just made dad angrier at me.

But God had other ideas.

My dad wrote me back, telling me how proud he was of me. He told me that I was his strongest daughter.  He told me that I was his only child who cared about the Ten Commandments. I wondered where this was coming from. I loved it, but it seemed so strange to me.

Billy Graham Crusades

Dad began watching every televised Billy Graham crusade.  Mom was getting very frustrated with him. Watching Billy Graham was something my dad took seriously. I had to chuckle when I would hear the frustration in my mom’s voice.

A terribly botched surgery

Dad was having incapicitating  pain in his neck.  He found a surgeon in Florida who wanted to do a neck surgery on him. I called my mom and pleaded with her not to let dad go under the knife without a second opinion.  She didn’t listen and dad went ahead with the surgery.  This doctor completely botched the surgery.

The move back

Mom and dad moved back to the Washington area to seek out a neurosurgeon who might attempt another surgery to correct the first one.  When I say “botched” – when he would stand, his head would lie upon his shoulder. I felt so sorry for him.

Dad was a type 2 diabetic. When a person has diabetes, healing takes a very long time.  The second surgery, done by an excellent neurosurgeon, was not successful. The first surgery had harmed his  cervical spine beyond repair.

My mother called me every day at work, saying that my dad just wanted to see me. I went every evening to visit with him. Sister (J) who had been his favorite was livid with me.  I was told that she was angry and hurt that dad would ask to see me and not her.

I could see that dad was failing.  Eventually, he was placed in hospice care. The Lord allowed me the joyful experience of leading my father to Him in prayer. The angels rejoiced in heaven!

After dad’s death

My mom did not return to Florida after dad died.  A couple of times a month I would spend the weekend with her.  I felt so sorry for her.  One night she asked my forgiveness; she told me that both she and dad knew that my sister (J) had been so cruel to me as we were growing up, but they never tried to stop it.  I told her that it was forgiven and that I loved her.

Two years after dad died, my mom was diagnosed with an inoperable cancerous brain tumor.   She died within 6 weeks. Before she died, she asked my sisters to be kind to me when she was gone. After her funeral, my sisters told me that I should not consider myself their sister, and that I would never see them again. In 1983, after I was born again, I shared the Gospel with both sisters in a letter. I’m pretty sure that cutting me off as their sister was directly related to me being saved.

Fast forward to recent times

I saw my two sisters and their kids on Facebook. My sister (S) was FB friends with my daughter.  I wrote a note to both of them, just expressing my desire to connect with them.  Sister (S) didn’t answer. Sister (J) blocked me and had her kids do the same.  I felt like I had been punched in the gut.

One day, I asked my Christian brothers and sisters on Facebook to please pray that sister (S)  would come into my life again. She had not blocked me on FB.  God answered these prayers and she wrote to me. She said that she would talk with me on two conditions. NO talk of Jesus and NO talk of politics.  I agreed, and since then we have talked on the phone weekly, and really have a wonderful  time together.

Recently, I noticed that she sounded really sick. She would tell me that she thought that perhaps she had Rheumatoid Arthritis.  She was so congested that she could hardly talk. She said that she had stiffness in her hands and could barely use them.  I asked her if I could come up to her home and take care of her. She sounded elated that I would offer.

It’s a good thing that the Lord worked this out for me to stay with her. She was in bad shape and I drove her to her GP. She had pneumonia in her right lung. I stayed with her a little over a week.  The strong antibiotics and prednisone kicked in, and in a few days she was feeling like herself.

We talked about sis (J). She  knew that my sister was really hateful to me all of my life.  She didn’t know why.

Arriving home

After I returned home, I received a call from my sister and was quite overwhelmed when she told me some things.  She said that she called sister (J) and told her that I had come to take care of her, and how sick she had been.  She then asked a question that I’m sure shocked my sister. She asked her why she had been so cruel to me since I was a young girl.

She told sister (S)  that she saw dad being mean to me and that she began doing it too. Being dad’s favorite, I suppose that does make sense that she would emulate his actions towards me.

My husband said that this excuse was understandable when she was younger, but he couldn’t understand why she remained this way as an adult.

Forgiveness

I told sister (S)  that no matter what, I forgave my other sister. I also told her that I led dad to the Lord – that shocked her. I was able to plant many seeds during our visit. She would stop me if I began to tell her about salvation. She has a neighbor who is a Christian. She even went to church with her once. I know that the Lord has His hand on my sister.  Nothing is random.

I can’t help but wonder if I will answer the phone one day, and it will be sister (J). But if that never happens, I know that I have forgiven her. I have done what Jesus wants me to do, and that brings me peace.

I hope that the reader understands why I wrote this article. Forgiveness is not a suggestion from the Lord. He tells us that we must forgive others. I’m sure that there are brothers and sisters in Christ reading this who were even physically or sexually abused. Sin in this world has brought the most heinous things into so many of our lives.

If I had not forgiven my father, I would not have shared the Gospel with him. If I had not forgiven my sisters, my trip to sister (S) would not have happened. And who knows; maybe sister (J) will contact me.

When Jesus hung on that Cross, He forgave our wretched sins. How can we withhold forgiveness from those who have hurt us, if the Lord of Creation forgave us?

Is there someone in your life who hurt you badly, and you are still holding onto the anger and resentment?  Go to Jesus and ask Him to help you forgive this person. Pray for that person – I know it sounds impossible to do; but when you are praying for someone, it is impossible to hold onto the anger.

Shalom b’Yeshua

MARANATHA

Grandmageri422@gmail.com

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